The Boy and The Cie'th
by OerbaKatMieke
Summary: The boy said, "Well, if I've learned one thing from my stories, it's to always have hope. Because when you do, you can achieve anything. Even the impossible." When the boy ends up in a fantasy, he realizes that nothing is like what he was led to believe.
1. Chapter 1

FFXIII-AU/a little OOC- The Boy and the Cie'th

I credit the original idea of a Beauty and the Beast type FFXIII fanfic to Kai Yukimura of Fanfiction. For some reason, my mind came up with this on a sleepless night and I ended up loving it. So yeah. Although, I assure you that mine is different from the original and Kai's. I hope you enjoy! x3

_Once upon a time in a land far away, two princesses lived in a shining castle. The older was _

_strong, valiant, and just; a brave swords woman. The younger was soft, sweet, and kind; an _

_innocent and frail young girl. After a time of peace, the king and queen both died in a tragic _

_incident and the older princess was charged with the crown. She despised having her future _

_taken away from her, growing spiteful and cold hearted. The princess ruled the kingdom with _

_an iron fist, upsetting the peace that had been widespread during her parents' reign and the _

_royal family grew to be hated by the people. The princess secluded herself from the world, only _

_opening up to her caring younger sister. On the eve of the elder princess' birthday, the younger _

_princess announced that she was to marry a prince from another country and move away. This _

_enraged the elder princess, and she plotted to murder the man that was to be wed to her _

_sister. She carefully prepared her favorite blade and was creeping to the servant's quarters in _

_the middle of a stormy night when a knock came from the door. She opened it and a sickly _

_woman was at the doorstep, begging for the someone to send a message to her home for her _

_as she was dying. The princess hissed at the woman and shooed her away. The woman fell to _

_the ground in the cold and used her last breath to beg for salvation from the magical guardians _

_of the world, the fal'Cie. A fal'Cie named Anima heard the woman's plea and came to her aid. _

_The princess was sneaking to the prince's room when the door rapped again. She answered it _

_and this time Anima was there waiting for her. The princess raised her blade to fight back but _

_Anima beat her with its pure intentions. The princess begged for forgiveness but Anima could _

_see through her to her cold heart and saw that she was preparing to take another life. Angered _

_by the princess' lack of love, Anima put a curse on the princess and her entire castle. Anima _

_turned all of the castle's inhabitants into Cie'th, monstrous crystal creatures that roam places _

_few would ever dare go. Anima transformed the princess into the most hideous Cie'th, part of a _

_rare breed called the Undying for its hatred of all things. It imprinted a rose shaped mark onto _

_the princess' heart and told her that if the she could learn to love again and be loved in return _

_before all of the rose's petals disappeared, then the spell would be broken. If not, the princess _

_would be an Undying Cie'th for all eternity, even if Hell itself froze over. As Anima left, it cried _

_two holy tears for the poor woman who had died because of the princess's cruelty. One made a _

_garden of ever blooming roses grow, whose petals would never fall and were the most beautiful _

_in the world. The other crystallized into a beautiful jewel, they say that this jewel allows its _

_owner to view all of the beauties of the world. As it was leaving, Anima took a single rose and _

_fashioned an amulet from it. It went to the woman's home and saw that she had a family, _

_leaving the mysterious amulet behind for the grieving people. Years passed, and the princess _

_hid herself in the castle's towers with the jewel, wallowing in regret and despairing endlessly in _

_the dark and long forgotten castle. She lost all hope, for who could ever love a beast?_


	2. Chapter 2

A young boy peeled his emerald green eyes from the words on the page and closed the thick, fancy, deep red bound storybook in his hand. He pressed it against his chest and sat back in his chair. He sighed, placed the book down, and moved a hand to his silver blonde hair. He played with his bangs as he wandered in his thoughts. That legend was his favorite, he never tired of reading it. "Son!", a man called from the next room, "Can you go and get me some parts I ordered in town?" "'Course Dad!", the boy happily answered, getting up from his chair in a hurry. He grabbed his book off the table and placed it in a wicker basket. "I'm heading out!", the boy called as he closed the cottage's door behind him.

The boy walked down the road, his mind enveloped in thoughts of the story. It was special to him. His father told him that his mother used to read it to him, that it was dear to her as well. He couldn't remember much about his mother, so it made him feel close to her every time he read it. He enjoyed it but was slightly sad about the unhappy ending; wanting to know what became of the castle, the dead lady, the fal'Cie, the treasures, and the cursed princess. He didn't necessarily wish a happy ending to the cruel princess though; he despised her for harming happy people and most of all killing some poor mother, making him believe that there was another kid out there that had to suffer the same way he did.

"Hey there loser!", someone sneered as the boy passed. The boy ignored them and hurried by. "What? Have your head in the clouds again, bookworm!", another person catcalled. The boy pouted a little but kept moving. He was bored of the old town that was the same everyday. He usually walked alone, just reading his books to himself. Not that he minded at all, he loved to read, it gave him a change of scenery and something exciting to discover every time. Everyone knew him as odd, but some people seemed to think that he was also very cute; girls drooling over him (he politely declined every time they advanced, what a shy boy!) and boys bullied him to no end. The people thought that the boy's innocent and unusual looks were charming, often noting what a shame it was that such a cute face went to waste on the strange quiet kid.

As he passed through town, he saw the villagers give him strange looks. "That's the kid of the crazy inventor right?", someone whispered as he walked by. The boy was at the end of his patience and finally pulled out his book again and opened it. He tried to read to tune the people out as he strode by them. It was to no avail, he continually heard whispers about him being odd and his face puckered with frustration. He exhaled as he finally stopped at the door of a metal worker's shop.

"What can I get for ya?", the brawny ironworker called for behind the counter as the bells tinkled from the door opening. "Hey Rygdea, good morning. Just the usual, parts my dad ordered." "Ah,", Rygdea said with a wink, "Gotcha." He pulled a large sack from under the counter and handed it over to the boy, who dropped gil on the counter in return. The boy scooped up the heavy sack, which tinkled from metal hitting metal, and put it in his basket. "Thanks!", the boy bowed then exited the shop.

The boy had his nose in the book once more as he walked back. He was able to dodge most of the passing obstacles until he collided with a tall someone and landed backwards onto he dirt, the contents of his basket spilling out. "Watch it!", a tough looking man with short black hair sneered. He knelt down and retrieved the storybook from the ground. The boy snatched the book away from the man's hands so aggressively that the man raised his eyebrow. The boy hastened up, dusted himself off, put his things back into the basket, then bowed as he apologized. He hurried off without looking back, his face hot with embarrassment. The man scoffed at the boy but his eyes were deep in thought. He found it interesting that a kid would be reading that sort of eloquent literature.

The boy was panting from running for a while and stopped at a bench. He sat down and pulled out the book again. He sighed as he read another story, this one with damsels in distress, gallant knights, and extraordinary lands full of adventure. The boy was enamored with fantasy and literature and felt right at home within these stories. His eyes lit up as he turned the page and saw a colorful illustration of a girl at a ball dancing with a handsome prince. She was wearing the most elegant yellow gown and the prince was in a dashing blue suit. The scene was lovely, a golden dance hall with high pillars, amazing stained glass windows, a ceiling painted with clouds and angels, and a gleaming crystal chandelier. He remembered this story well and loved this part. The disguised servant girl had just realized she loved the prince even though it was chapter 3 and she had met him in the beginning. It was probably because they hadn't seen each other since they were children and such a beautiful moment was all it took to open her eyes. How wonderful is that?

The boy grinned at the thought until his peaceful silence was interrupted by cheering. He turned and saw that there was a huge crowd gathered by the fountain. He heard screaming about there being a famous adventurer there but decided against going to have a look. He didn't like crowds. He got up to head home.

"You there!", someone called from within the crowd. The boy froze and turned. The same dark haired man from before stood before him. "May I see that book you were reading?" The boy pulled the basket with his book tucked inside away, "No, it's mine." "Please just for a minute. Name's Cid. Cid Raines." Cid held out a hand to the boy, "Nice to meet you kid." The boy frowned and began to scurry away. The man said, "Just let me read the one story about the princess who became a beast." The boy stopped and turned his head back, "Why?" "Because I'm a treasure hunter. Many a treasure hunter like me covet that jewel the beast has you see. Maybe you'd let me see it if I show you all the treasures I've recovered?" The boy turned his head forward again, "No."

The crowd had followed behind Cid and were laughing at the scene. "Crazy kid! Not listening to such a respectable treasure hunter!" Someone else added, "It's because of his father! They say he makes 'inventions!'" The crowd laughed and the boy walked even faster away, trying to hide his shame from the crowd. Cid huffed and began to entertain the crowd again.

The boy made huge, quick strides and looked up at his house as he neared it. His face was downcast but he put up a weak smile as best he could. That was when smoke billowed from the back of his cottage. "Father!", he yelled and ran to the back. The boy coughed and batted smog away with his hand, "Dad?" He heard a rattling and a loud kick.

The smoke cleared and the boy's dad was revealed to be sitting on the ground, nursing his foot. "Are you alright?", the boy asked, inching forward. His father replied with an irritated tone, "Stupid machine won't work." The boy rolled his eyes, "You always say that but then fix the problem." "Yeah, on regular machines.", the man huffed as he got up, "But my new inventions never work!" The boy patted his father's shoulder, "Yes you will! I'm sure you can. And you'll win first prize at the fair tomorrow."

"Heh, trying to live up to your namesake?", the father chuckled. The boy said, "Well, if I've learned one thing from my stories, it's to always have hope. Because when you do, you can achieve anything. Even the impossible." The father stood up and took his son's shoulders in both hands, "That's what your mother always used to say. She named you Hope for that reason."

Hope smiled at his father. "You know what? I'm sure I can fix it!", Hope's dad announced with renewed enthusiasm, "You got the new parts right?" Hope nodded and handed his basket to his dad. His father took the sack of metal out then raised an eyebrow at the book left inside, "Reading that story again are you?" Hope raised his hand to the back of his head, "Yeah..." Hope's dad let out a melancholy chuckle, "You're so much like your mother."

Hope's dad laid on the ground under a large machine, fixing the new parts into place. Hope stood by, waiting for any commands his dad gave him. He twiddled his fingers and his eyes were downcast, "Dad?" "Yes, son?" "Do you think I'm...odd?" Hope's dad came out from under the machine, "You? Odd? No, that's me!" Hope sighed and sat down, "It's just that, I'm different you know? I don't want to have just a regular life. I want my life to be exciting, like the ones in the stories." Hope's dad raised an eyebrow, "Like the treasure hunter who came into town?" Hope scoffed, "No, he's just selfish and greedy. I dunno, I guess I just want some fantasy to happen to me." Hope's dad let out a half-hearted chuckle then got up saying, "Well, I think I've done it this time. Wanna give it a try?"

Hope looked up from his hands and saw his dad point him to the lever of the machine. Hope gave his dad a wary look then slowly walked over to the lever and pulled it, bracing himself for any possible thing that could go wrong. Instead, the machine gave a steady whir and began to slowly raise a sharpened ax. Then it let out a swoop of air as the ax descended on a log and cut it in half with impressive speed. Another log was lifted into place by a conveyor type belt and before long a stack of halved logs were sitting on the floor. Hope smiled and looked at his awe struck father. "You did it!", he hugged his dad, "I knew you could!" Hope's dad was laughing and shouted, "Guess I'm off to the fair!"


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself Hope?", Hope's father asked in concern. He had loaded up the carriage with his invention and was now holding the Chocobo back with reins. Hope nodded up at his dad, "I'll be fine. You go and win for us okay? Make mom and I proud." Hope's father smiled, "I will. I have hope after all." Hope chuckled and waved, "Bye!" "Bye!", Hope's dad called back as he loosened the reigns and the Chocobo sped off down the cobblestone road.

Hope stood and watched the carriage go until it had disappeared from the horizon. A chilling feeling set in, the kind Hope got when he read something foreboding in one of his stories only to find out that someone died the next chapter. He bit his lip, pushing the thought to the back of his mind and convincing himself he was thinking too hard, that it was just the cool evening breeze against his skin.

He went back into the house with a slightly hurried, nervous stride. He plopped down onto a chair again and pulled out his book. He examined the book's binding out of boredom. The book was thick, indicating it held many a story in its pages. It was covered by layer of red leather with fading gold accents on the edges of the pages and spine. The pages were on the thinner side because of age but they still had full color on each wonderfully detailed illustration. Hope caressed the edges of the pages gently every time he had to change pages and handled the book with great care. He ran his fingers over the book's front. A strange seal graced the cover of the book, an imprint of a blooming rose and a 5 pointed star overlapping it. The gap was colored by the same accent gold and it shone in the light when Hope held it up.

Hope gave his thumb a quick lick then carefully turned a page. He scanned the words on the page until a knock came from the door. He looked up with a confused and slightly nervous face. He hurriedly hid his book under his basket and hesitantly answered the door. Cid Raines stood before him, flourishing a large sack.

"Hey kid.", Cid greeted him, "I was wondering if I could chat with you." Hope's eyebrows lowered, "Why?" "You know why. I wanted to show you some of my treasures too." Cid lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. Hope curiously leaned out of the doorway as Cid pulled out an exquisitely painted porcelain teapot. "Wanna see it?", Cid held the teapot out carefully with both hands. Hope pouted but opened the door wider and cautiously took the delicate teapot. Hope turned the pot in his hands and he closely observed the shiny surface. It was pure white with jade green dragons snaking their way along the teapot's curve. Hope's eyes lit up and Cid chuckled.

"I have a lot more where that came from. Care to let me in?" Hope lowered the teapot and looked up at Cid, "Well..." Hope pursed his lips but backed to the side, allowing Cid passage inside. Cid sat down on a chair and looked around the room, "You live alone?" Hope's eyes narrowed as he shook his head, "No, my dad's just tinkering with his inventions right now." Cid flicked his head, "That's quite a collection of books over there." Hope followed Cid's eye line and noticed that Cid was admiring Hope's book shelf, "You must have thirty by the looks of it." Cid got up and walked over to it.

Hope placed the teapot down on the table then hurried next to Cid. Cid had pulled out a book and opened it. Hope took hold the top of the book with a strong hand and said, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't touch them." Cid's eyebrow raised, "Why is that?" Hope's tone was even, "They are my mother's. I'd like it if you left them the way she did." Cid chuckled darkly, "You're just hoarding precious books here when people like me could use them?" Hope didn't flinch, "I read them."

Cid gave Hope a condescending look, "Really now? What does a little ten year old kid do with hard books like these? Look at the pretty pictures?" Hope glared back, "A fourteen year old can read. Especially one who is smarter than a selfish old badger who takes things that don't belong to him."

Cid ran a finger down the bridge of his jutting nose. His eyes were black like his hair and he suddenly became very self conscious of his badger-like face. Hope smirked as Cid's lip turned down. Cid slammed the book shut then shoved it back into the shelf, causing dust to fly into the air. Hope recoiled his hand, blinked, and swallowed hard, regretting upsetting the brutish man.

Cid gave a serious look down at Hope, "You don't want to cross me kid." Cid raised a fist and took Hope's chin in a firm grip with his thumb, "Now then, I showed you my treasure. Show me yours." Hope knocked Cid's hand down and backed away, "You already saw the books. Now you leave." Cid tightened a fist, "I didn't want to have to do this kid but..."

Cid charged forward, running at full speed towards Hope. Hope stumbled to the side in surprise, nearly falling backwards when he clipped a chair. Hope snatched the side of the table to stay upright and quickly ducked as Cid punched the air above his head. "Where is that book kid?", Cid shouted as he kicked Hope in the stomach. Hope stumbled back but kept his head raised, "Like I'd tell you!" Hope quickly shot out a leg and pushed Cid's legs out from under him. Cid took a step back to regain balance, Hope taking the opportunity to snatch his basket.

Cid's eyes flared as he took another jab at Hope. Hope ducked again, leaving the basket open for attack. Cid snatched the basket out of Hope's grasp and kicked Hope back. Hope's lower back hit against a chair but he held his balance. "No! It's mine!", Hope shouted as he jumped at Cid. Cid punched Hope back again. Hope shook his head then looked up.

A gun was pointed at his face, right between the eyes.

Hope slowly drew back and his face was wide eyed in terror. Cid chuckled as he kept the gun pointed at Hope then took the book from the basket. "Now then, I'd hate for your father to come in and find your body so..." Cid threw the basket down to Hope, "Take that and run. I'll give you a 5 second head start." Hope stared in fright down at the basket then up at Cid, his green eyes round and empty with fear.

The gun clicked from cocking, "4..."

Hope nearly tripped over his own feet from the speed he was running. He flung the back door open and raced off down the hill. He placed a steady hand over his basket, making sure that the contents inside didn't fall out. His muscles began to ache but he didn't dare stop. He focused all of his efforts on getting away, even if it meant losing track of where he went.

Which he did, he realized when his eyes refocused and he saw a dark wood ahead of him. The trees were blue in color and an eerie haze blew amongst the ensnaring flora. Hope turned his head in every direction, holding his basket tighter in his fists. He started back a little bit, not wishing to enter into the dangerous looking place.

"1!"

Hope's blood chilled. Hope looked back at the dark trees then back the way he came. A gun shot rang out from the 'friendly' direction.

Hope staggered back then sprinted into the dark woods. The foreboding chill crept back up Hope's spine to whisper 'I told you so...'.


	4. Chapter 4

Hope coiled himself around the back of a dead tree. Smog swirled around his feet and blurred the forest, making the entire scene hazy along with Hope's adrenaline and rapid panting. Sweat dripped down Hope's forehead and he struggled to keep quiet. His heart pulsed his entire body, making him shudder in fear. A loud cry made Hope inhale sharply.

Gornorspids. Ravenous, man eating wolf beasts. And they were close by the sound of it.

A whole pack had sniffed sweat and fear swirling along with the air and licked their colossal chops in delight. A young, frightened, running, easy kill. How exciting! They'd eat well tonight.

Hope heard rustling amongst the tree roots behind him on the other side of the trunk. He swallowed hard and firmly gripped his basket. He heard the low, deep breaths of a Gornorspid on the other side. It went in a haunting rhythm, breathing in...then out... Hope shut his eyes tight, wishing that something would make it go away.

Then he blinked. An idea formed in his mind.

Quick as a wink, Hope chucked his basket away from him and down the path. It bounced loudly amongst the silence and disappeared into the mist. The Gornorspids looked up with low grunts then sped off into the mist.

Hope held his breath until the thumps of the beasts' feet were inaudible. He slowly moved his head to look back. Seeing nothing that could eat him there, Hope turned his head forward again.

Only to catch a glimpse of a pair of blue eyes flash before him.

Hope gasped as he staggered back and pressed himself in to the tree trunk. His arms flung up to his face and he prepared for the worst. When nothing but silence came, Hope warily looked up.

A silver owl stared down at Hope with a pair of hypnotizing blue eyes. Hope slowly got back to his feet and gazed up at it. The owl scanned Hope without a single movement, its eyes hard and empty. Hope swallowed as he kept the stare up.

Without warning, the bird sliced through the air, barely missing Hope's cheek. Hope turned in awe as the bird landed on another branch and cocked its head towards a path. "Do you want me to follow you?", Hope murmured. The bird nodded its head. Hope stared up in surprise, blinking a few times. The bird then flapped its wings again and headed down the trail. Hope raised his hand after it, "Wait!" He took off running.

Hope stopped as the haze thickened and the trees thinned. He looked up, gaping in awe at the sight before him. A crescent moon washed silver light over the crumbling ruins of a towering castle. It was frozen over with a layer of blue crystal, as if the crystal was a tidal wave that washed over the castle then instantly froze mid way through impact. The stones of the castle were worn out, gray and full of cracks. Dark vines snared up the walls of stone and crystal, breaking into broken, colorless stain glass windows. One of the many towers' roofs had crashed in on itself and debris littered the crystal dust covered ground. An eerie glow came from the crystals and around the castle walls and a towering, gothic metal gate looked down on Hope.

The owl stopped at the top of the gate, looking down at Hope expectantly. Hope swallowed and looked down at his feet. Here was his only chance to experience something he could only read about. But would he regret it if he did touch the gate? He'd soon find out.

Hope raised a shaking hand to the cold metal. He pushed the creaking gate open, flinching at the scratching hiss it made. Hope took a step forward and blinked hard. A whooshing shiver ran up and down his body, chilling him to the bone and making him shutter. Hope took another step forward, another pang of frigid force traveled through his soul then vanished in an instant. Hope clenched his teeth. What had just happened? He shook his head and hurriedly kept walking to avoid thinking about it.

Hope put all of his force onto the heavy, wooden doors of the castle. They slowly inched forward, letting out a rasping, gritty sound as it rubbed against the dirt. When Hope had finally opened it enough so that he could squeeze through, he ducked inside and looked back. The owl had disappeared and the iron gate had closed by itself. Hope swallowed hard again then looked forward.

A fine crystal dust covered the tarnished marble floor of a grand opening hall. Pillars stood in rows on either end, and a dank swirl of darkness was tangible in the dimly moonlit room. Hope felt cool pressure on his tongue from the ancient, tense, thick air. Hope wandered forward, his foots steps muffled by the sandy dust.

Hope turned his head back and forth, taking in the scene. The pillars had strange marks on them, like some sort of huge monster had sank its claws into the stone and raked them down the sides without resistance. Hope hugged his arms close and looked down at his feet. The crystal dust softly crunched under foot, raising into the air around his foot from the disturbance and glowing a blue green in the moonlight. Hope's eyebrow raised as he saw gigantic imprints in the sand, apparently made from the feet of some large, tottering thing by the way the prints wobbled in a drunken line. Hope looked up and began to quietly shuffle onward, carefully thinking out every breath.

Hope pricked his ears up as he neared a stair well. Nothing had stirred on his way through the hall and the creepy silence was not a good sign. Hope froze and listened closely to beating of his heart, the rush of blood to his head, the lazy cascade of nervous sweat down the back of his neck, and the slur of darkness. Hope jumped as a drawn out creak came from the door. He pivoted in fright, raising his fists into the air. As the last of the light from the door disappeared, Hope had managed to make out a hulking, human like figure lurching towards him.

A pitiful low moan resounded from the gut of the figure and against the darkness. A shiver rattled Hope up and down and he whispered, "Wh-who's there?" This time there was no sound of then the shuffling of unbalanced, heavy feet against the dust. Hope raised his hands up, "Don't get closer!-" The shuffling stopped and Hope's heart lurched in his chest.

A splitting scream echoed from in front of Hope, so loud that Hope's ear drums popped. Hope cried softly out in pain, raising his hands to coddle his ears. The blood curdling sound still roared in his head, along with a more hurried shambling of bear like feet. Hope shuffled back in panic, shielding his head in his arms. He tripped over the bottom set of stairs, falling backwards and into a gap of moonlight. Hope's eye lids trembled open and his heart stopped from horror at what he saw.

A crystallized, humanoid zombie slumped into the light. It towered over the cowering Hope, its body weight unevenly distributed, favoring the left side due to the gross mutation of one of the thing's arms. The arm's muscles were unraveling on itself, creating a curled vortex of thick, twisted, almost finger like claws with pointed ends ready to rip into flesh. The other hand was smaller, but still dis-formed into a oversized bear claw. Both arms were thick and spines of sharp crystal jutted out in layers. The shoulders and neck had disappeared, leaving two hulking crystal spikes where they should be. What was once the face of a person was now discolored a sick blue, crystals encrusting over the eyes and almost foaming out of the mangled mouth. Two lanky legs bulged out of the central mass of the being, barely stable enough to keep the monster from toppling over and smashing into pieces. At the center of the ghastly ghoul was a red sickening, pulsing eye; empty and menacing; filling the role of where a warm heart should be. Woe and regret rolled off the being in waves and its breathing rumbled like a broken machine.

Hope had seen his first nightmare come to reality; a petrifying, unrelenting demon known as a Cie'th.

Hope was frozen in terror, just staring up at the Cie'th like the symbol of death it was known to be. The Cie'th seemed to be observing Hope, although it had no eyes to do so. It raised its heavier arm into the air and Hope moved up a few stairs out of the way without thinking. The arm slowly slammed down where Hope just was, leaving a deep hole in the stairs. Finally snapped out of his panicked trance, Hope skidded away up the stairs like a cat.

Fear made Hope's head spin in confusion, his body acting on its own. He could feel his feet hit the ground, his heart threatening to burst right out of his chest, his muscles barely steady from aches, his throat burn from deathly screeches that he made but couldn't hear, and the dark rooms blurring all at once. Hope turned corners and up stairs only to find himself confronted by more shambling Cie'th. They were a colorful variety, some with long necks and thinner figures; others with hulking bodies that were a mystery as to how they could stay upright; some that were tiny and ball sized with one arm that snapped at Hope's ankles; and even some that seemed to levitate in the air with flapping limbs instead arms. A flurry of bat-like Cie'th dive bombed at Hope's head and he raised his arms to bat them away. Hope finally found an open door and slammed it closed with craze-induced strength, locking the Cie'th out and away from him.

Hope looked around in a daze and spotted an ancient grand piano. He slid to the ground and huddled underneath it. Hope buried his face in his knees, holding back tears from physical and emotional scars. He could hear the slams of Cie'th limbs as they cracked their crystals on the door, attempting to burst it open. Hope sat in dread as the door made sickening shrieks that grew louder and louder; he knew that when the door finally gave in to sweet violent death that he would have to surrender too.

Hope's heart stopped as a bang came from the door as it broke of its hinges and the dire screeches of Cie'th echoed into the room, closing in on the piano. Hope didn't look up but could hear the smooshing of the Cie'th feet on the dust getting closer. Then it stopped and a low grunt came from above Hope. He barely looked up when-BAM-a deafening crash came as something splintering and wooden caved in over the top of his head, then nothing as he instantaneously blacked out.

An upright Cie'th dug its claws into Hope's ankles, dragging the fainted boy out from under the piano. The boy's head was bleeding from where Cie'th had smashed the piano in over him. The Cie'th encircled the defenseless kid and began to beat on his body, causing dark bruises to appear on the boy's pale skin. A flying Cie'th pecked at the boy's bleeding scalp, a clubbed Cie'th hand smashed into Hope's thigh, a lanky Cie'th cupped Hope's shoulder in its cat claws then flipped him over and left long scratches, the largest Cie'th raised its arm up, aiming for Hope's head laceration-

"That is enough!", an ancient, brutish voice roared from the doorway. The Cie'th all staggered back, leaving the broken body of Hope on the floor like a discarded rag doll.

An immense Cie'th stalked regally forward to Hope. It snagged some of its gigantic lion claws around one of Hope's arms and lifted him up off the ground. Hope hung limply, with his still handsome face in a pained sleep and blood seeping down it. It held Hope's closed eyes to its eye level and examined his dirty and pained expression. "This could be the one.", it whispered in a hushed tone. Blood dripped from Hope's chin down onto the Cie'th's claws but it didn't flinch at all.

"All of you, do not follow me.", the Cie'th commanded and rushed out of the door with impressive balance. It dragged Hope across the dusty floors by its claws without a second thought, leaving a trail in the dust.

The Cie'th busted open the door to a room and called out, "Mistress, I've found the source of the disturbance." A figure in the dark said with a cold, strong feminine voice, "What was it Dysley?" The Cie'th known as Dysley threw Hope onto the ground in front of the figure, dust clouding up the scene. The figure didn't move but it's piercing blue eyes narrowed, "What kind of cruel joke is this?" "I am not jesting Mistress. This boy trespassed into the castle grounds." The blue eyes looked back down at the boy and whispered, "Not possible..." "Apparently it is Mistress. Mynerva found him and thought that he was perhaps the one we've been waiting for.", Dysley said in a croaking voice only an old diplomat would have. The blue eyes scanned the boy without showing any emotion. Then it quickly snatched the boy up and raised him to its eyes. The boy didn't move and the eyes continued to stare on without any trace of feeling but an immense amount of thought.

There was a flash of dark pink light from the figure's grasp and the boy let out a screech. The boy kicked wildly, half conscious from the shock the force of the light had burned into his skin. "Mistress!", Dysley cried out in surprise. The boy struggled to be free of the grasp, but it was to no avail as the pain drained him to unconsciousness again and he hung limply by the strong figure's hold. The light began to fade and the figure threw the boy aside and back into the moonlight.

"Mistress, what possessed you to brand this child?", Dysley raged as he shambled forward and examined the child's wrist. The wrist was faintly glowing with the same dark pink color. Then the light faded away, leaving a dark mark on the boy's pale skin. The cold voice answered, "He is never to leave these grounds. The brand will make sure of that." "But he could-" "No contradicting my word!", the figure cried out, "Now go lock the boy in the dungeon for now." "Mis-" "I ordered NOW!", the figure shouted so powerful the room shook.

Dysley murmured, "Indeed." as he took hold of the boy again. He spotted a Cie'th and said, "You there! Take this human down to the dungeons and make sure to bind him up in chains. The Mistress doesn't want him to escape." The Cie'th gave a respectful nod to Dysley, "Of course." It heaved the boy off the ground and over its sharp shoulder, not caring to think of the damage it could do. It hauled the child off to the dungeon and shackled him up, raising a non-existent curious eyebrow when it saw the mark the child bore on his wrist. The Mistress was up to something, and that meant a storm was brewing on the horizon.


	5. Chapter 5

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip, drip, drip...

The sound echoed through Hope's black mind. Every time the sound crashed through his head, it made him flinch. He could feel the sting of ice cold water with each booming drop. Hope realized that something really was dripping onto his face and shot his eyes open.

Black. Hard. Stone. Rain. Cold. Pain. Head. Drip.

That was all that registered.

Hope blinked.

He turned over from his side onto his back. A rattling noise came along with his movement.

Hope raised his hands up to his blurred eyes. Shackles.

Hope blinked.

He twisted his hands in the air and the chains clattered against a muddy, brick floor.

Hope blinked.

Moonlight seeped through a hole above him, casting a minimal amount of light onto the jail cell. Hope's eyes focused a little more, and he saw a dark blob on his left wrist.

Hope blinked.

His thoughts were slurred but he could tell that something about the symbol on his wrist was bad. It had many striking dark veins, some that ran sideways to connect the parallel lines together in an almost distorted U within a pitch fork shape. The pitch fork didn't have spiked ends; rather it had a blunt ends protruding from it, layering on top of each other in a diagonal rectangle pattern. The middle base line went from black to the white of his skin in a definite end.

Hope blinked.

The mark seemed to glow on its own; casting a little bit of green light into the air. It had a slight pulse to it, like Hope had a second heart beating in his wrist. Instead of supplying blood, it seemed to send different energies through Hope's body.

The energies had an odd feeling to them. All at once, they were blistering with heat and frigid with cold; soothing in some ways and inflicting in others. The different sensations combatted each other, using Hope's body as their battleground. One second, a burn would sneak in then the next a frosty breath would take over. Yet it didn't hurt, as something warm and soft washed over the warring powers and the next time the painful feelings would strike, it would come back and hurt a little less. As if they were beginning to quiet and settle into their new host.

Hope blinked.

Even though the battle was beginning to end, Hope still ached and his body was weighed down from tire. Hope could keep his eyes open easily and his hands had wistful resistance, but everything else didn't listen to his pleads. He laid on the muggy mortar floor, sitting in his sore shell with just his unclear thoughts as company among the silence.

"Don't worry. You'll feel much better soon."

Hope blinked.

Hope wasn't surprised in the slightest when he heard a soft female voice whisper to him. He thought the question of 'who' and 'hallucination' even if he couldn't utter a sound to be sure. He watched numbly as a finger levitated in front of his lip. "No need to speak."

"Hello."

Hope blinked.

He managed to roll his head up to look at the finger's owner. A sweet faced young girl kneeled over him. "I'm Serah."

Hope blinked.

He relaxed his lip as the girl curled her finger back. Her delicate hand lofted in the air and she smiled with a pair of perfect pink lips. Her skin was porcelain white and a cascade of pink locks streamed down one side of her head and over her shoulder. She had pure blue eyes that shone with a gentle tone. Her features were muted, light and almost pastel edged and colored. Her frame was small and delicate but still grown, reading that she must be around Hope's age to at most 17 years old.

Hope blinked.

Her voice whispered like the wind through fabric, you could feel the slight touch of something soft in her innocent tone. "You'll be alright.", Serah affirmed.

Hope blinked.

"Magic just takes getting used to.", Serah clasped her hands together. Hope managed to utter, "What..." "Oops!", Serah's giggle was a ray of sunshine, "I need to explain everything else first huh? Well..." Serah cocked her head as she asked, "What is your name?"

Hope blinked.

Hope's voice was evanescent and wispy, "Ho...hope..." "Hope?", Serah pressed her fingers to her no-way! widened lips, "Oh really?" Hope muttered, "Yeah...Hope Estheim." Hope let out a soft grunt as he held out a shackled hand, "Nice to meet you Serah."

Serah's eyes lowered and her head looked away. "I can't.", she sadly murmured. Hope's eyes dimmed along with hers, "...Is it me?" "No...", Serah sighed. She hesitantly rested her hand over Hope's. But no soft skin tingled on Hope's senses.

Hope blinked.

Serah was transparent, her pastel colors see through and slightly faded. Her features were definitely there and had slight definition, but she was no doubt non-existent at the same time. Even her voice was far away as she added, "I'm barely here."

Hope slowly turned his attention to her face. She kept looking away in melancholy sadness, resting her other arm across her knees. Her eyes were barely visible to him from his angle but he could tell that she was lost in woeful thoughts.

Hope blinked.

Hope's lips trembled, "Am I...dying?" Serah turned back to him, her eyes full of emotion and a little wet; it seemed it was possible that a spirit could be fully alive in that sense. "No...you can't die. At least..." Serah's voice cracked, "Not like this." A tear fell down her ephemeral cheek, rolling off it and dissipating into the air in a puff of shimmering smoke.

"You said yourself," Hope muttered, looking at the floor, "that I'd be alright, right?" Serah's eyes opened fully then narrowed softly and rested its gaze on Hope's sullied and pensive face. "Well...if you can live up to your name then I guess you'd be okay.", she whispered. Hope's eyes stared back at her, confusion and contemplation hazing the green hue.

"Hope...you've been branded by something that was given fal'Cie power.", Serah explained, "Which means you're something called a l'Cie." Hope brow furrowed, "l'Cie?" Serah's voice was uncertain, "You see Hope, a l'Cie is-well...they are human but aren't-" Hope muttered in confusion, "Aren't..human?" Serah sighed, "Well...no. But l'Cie aren't monsters like...like the Cie'th are either." A slight twinge of sorrow was in her voice, "l'Cie are a special sort of person. They are granted the ability to use magic and are given more strength and better health than a normal human. But..."

Hope blinked.

Serah bit her bottom lip in uncertainty. Hope eyes scanned the floor and he said with an even tone, "But?" Serah struggled with the words, "They have a rather short amount of time until...they become a Cie'th." Hope's eyes widened and he stammered unintelligible grunts that sounded like a garbled version of, "What? No, that can't be true..."

Serah forced the truth forward rapidly, "But it is. That mark on your hand will begin to change shape until a red eye opens in the middle. And when its fully open..." Serah's voice cracked again, "There's no going back." "Can't be...", Hope struggled with a thick mouth and easy words, "Not..."

"There is a way to stop it.", Serah said with a flood of relief.

Hope rattled closer to her and urged, "Tell me. I'll do it." Serah said, "l'Cie are normally given something called a 'Focus' by the fal'Cie. Its some sort of event they have to fulfill in order to stop from going Cie'th. And usually the fal'Cie doesn't say what it is and gives you a vague vision of what you are to do." Hope listened carefully, "Usually?"

Serah swallowed, "You see, you weren't branded by a fal'Cie. You were branded by an Undying Cie'th that was given limited fal'Cie power. So you weren't given a dream." Hope's face lowered as Serah continued, "The Cie'th chooses what you are to do. And she won't tell. However..." Serah swallowed again, "There were others before you. And she told them they had to 'Follow her bidding...

Hope blinked.

...forever.'", Serah's voice grew deep and ominous at that last word. Hope laid still and Serah looked down on him in despair. She delicately placed a hand over Hope's head, even though he wouldn't be able to feel the comfort she was attempting to give him. They sat still with only the rain's projections in the moonlight shifting and tinkling against the drowning, worn brick.

Hope murmured painfully after a long pause, "What happened to them?" Serah seemed to reminisce with her eyes along with each word she said, "They all failed in one way or another. It was different every time so I can't tell you what she wants from you." Serah didn't like the poison lingering on her lip after saying that.

Hope shook as he began to heave up off the ground, "I have an idea of what she wants." Serah gasped but Hope continued without pausing, "I'm in a dungeon aren't I?" Hope's arms quivered as he put pressure on the floor to sit up, "She wants me to be her prisoner." Serah nodded and sighed, "Yeah..." She scooted back and watched helplessly as Hope slowly hobbled up and leaned against a wall. The moonlight poured over his silver hair and upper body, leaving a shadow stretched across the wall next to him. Hope hung his head, "Either way, it doesn't look like I'm going anywhere soon."

Serah snaked next to him, clinging to his shoulder, "I'm stuck too." Hope looked up, a shining stream of silver light rolling off his eyes. Serah's sad smile was hard to see through the glaring moonlight and streaks of rain, "I can stay with you."

Hope blinked.

He nodded slowly as that registered and Serah laid her light head down on his shoulder. "How about this,", she initiated a friendly conversation, "if you tell me a good story, then I'll sing for you." Hope looked down at the resting girl who stared wistfully off into nothing.

Hope blinked.

"Deal.", Hope whispered into her ear, "I know plenty of amazing stories."


	6. Chapter 6

"And they all lived, happily ever after.", Hope finished. He looked down with a sigh at his criss-crossed lap. Serah had dreamily drifted off his shoulder and laid her head down on his lap, closing her eyes and listening blissfully. "You're a good storyteller.", she said, opening her eyes, her crystal blue gaze washing over him. Hope raised a hand to his head, "I guess...that's all I used to do after all." Serah looked up at him, "You told stories?"

Hope lightly shook his head, "No, I read them. I always had a book with me. People thought I was odd. That I should stop reading and go work on a farm or something.", Hope scoffed, "Maybe I should have listened to them." Serah's eyes clouded and she said nothing. Hope leaned back into the wall with a defeated sigh. He then muttered, "Can you tell me what I'm supposed to do Serah?"

"What?", Serah was taken aback with surprise and lifted her head up. Hope pressed the palm of his hand into his face, "You said that I have a limited amount of time to complete my Focus right? Otherwise I'll become...one of them." Serah nodded slowly as Hope continued, "But if my Focus is to be a prisoner here for good, then I'm stuck with eternal despair anyway." Hope's hand ran down his face sluggishly, "So what do I do?"

Serah hesitated and began to open her mouth to speak when her hands began to change. They became a wave of of shiny crystal dust, gradually deteriorating into nothing. She continued to decay, her hands now completely gone and her arms fading. Hope looked up in surprise and called out, "Wait, what is-!" Serah shook her head, "I don't have enough strength to stay here." She looked away as her shoulders disappeared, "I'm sorry." She took a deep breath and looked confidently up at the dazed Hope, her eyes still shining even though they were damp, "I'll sing for you in return next time. And maybe...", Serah's words began to grow faint with her lips, "you'll find your answer by that time..."

"No! Don't leave me alone!", Hope cried out, raising a desperate hand out to the little floating streak in the air that was Serah's face. Serah's eyes narrowed as they spread into the air. She had completely disappeared, her dust floating away in an ethereal gust of wind. Hope blankly stared, his hand still raised in the air wistfully.

"Wait!", his voice was soft, urgent, and full of hurt, "I-I can't be alone..." Hope curled up, hugging his knees to his chest and burying his face in his arms. He clenched his teeth and tried to hold all of his emotions back. "Come back...", his slightly shaky voice kept repeating as he slowly rubbed his face over his arms.

He reprimanded himself in his mind. From what little (or maybe it was long and he hadn't realized) time he had had with her, he could tell that she didn't like the sad parts. When he mentioned something about someone getting locked in a tower so they couldn't see their family, something wet his shoulder and then Serah moved to his lap and away from his gaze. He knew exactly what that meant and that Serah wouldn't want him to be sad like the trapped girl in the story. Hope let out a wry laugh. Maybe someone would even come and ask for his hair.

"You there." Hope looked up. A Cie'th similar to the one he saw in the opening hall was peering at him from the other side of the bars, dimly lit by the moonlight giving it an eerie, nightmarish presence. Hope muttered, "You-you can talk?" The Cie'th's tone was as hard as its rock spines, "Monsters under the curse can communicate with each other." Hope's lip raised in spite but the Cie'th didn't falter. Instead, it split the tense atmosphere with a cruel laugh.

"Best prepare yourself kid. You're in for some hell.", its scorn burned Hope's ears and Hope bared his teeth at it. Hope raised his left hand and flicked it at the monster. An inflaming scalding torched his palm's nerves just as he did. Hope grunted in pain and struggled to lower his outstretched hand, it wanted to stay taut in the heated air. The monster chuckled darkly and taunted, "You're so weak kid." A burning hate tore through Hope's mind and burst out into his body, heat engulfing his muscles. Hope winced, shutting his eyes tight. The Cie'th continued cackling, showing its sadistic amusement at the lowly l'Cie.

Hope fought for control against the unknown and volatile force, but couldn't concentrate well with the Cie'th's mockery nurturing a brooding hatred that just wouldn't stop. The hatred accelerated, intensifying along with the blazing sensation that incinerated Hope's brain. "You'll be eaten alive!", the Cie'th catcalled along with a high pitched roar of ridiculing laughter. The vehemence of the hatred that welled up in Hope reached its boiling point. Hope extorted an internal hand over the inferno, taking the churning power into his jurisdiction and whipping it to his will.

"SHUT UP!", Hope bellowed as he finally freed the tamed wildfire; it raged from his hold and out of his body. Hope fell back from the instant release; the back of his head smashing into the mortar floor and his chains let out a jolting shout. The Cie'th in front of him let out a blood curdling wail and Hope heard a shatter then a tremor spread out on the ground, rattling his chains and vibrating his frame.

Hope immediately got up once the quake had passed and looked up. A warmth spread out from his wrist and he rushed it into his sight. The brand on his wrist was encircled by smoldering embers that left ash on Hope's ivory skin. It had imprinted a thin line of grayed dead skin on his hands and up his arm but left the immediate area around his brand completely untouched. Hope turned his arm in amazement, while shaking off the ash with his other hand, the embers hissed as it hit the damp floor. Hope looked up from his hand when he heard the distorted metal scratching of the Cie'th's voice.

The Cie'th was engulfed in hungry flames.

Hope staggered back in fright, his eyes flicking back to his hand. Had he just... cast fire magic? Hope scooted back farther away until his back met the back wall of the cell. The Cie'th shambled up, the flames dying down underneath its angry feet. Some of the crystals on its back were cracked, leaving huge holes in the Cie'th's unruly build. It shot a contemptuous snarl at Hope then limped back into the darkness.

Hope's chains shuffled across the floor as he shifted his hands from here to there in thought. He had unleashed fire. He had taken control of magic. Serah was right. Not that he didn't trust her, but magic was something incredible. Mind blowing. Fantastic.

...But did he want that anymore?

"How did it go?", Dysley asked casually as the cracked Cie'th stumbled into the light, getting back from the dungeon. "Just great, as you can tell.", the Cie'th spat as it hunched over in pain. Dysley snickered, "He shows promise. I shall inform the Mistress." The Cie'th fell to the ground in a heap, causing a cracking sound to shift the air and crystal dust to scatter with it. Dysley spat at the fallen Cie'th then crept into the Mistress' tower.

"It went all according to your plan Mistress.", an even more crooked grin spread on Dysley's crooked mouth, making an almost N shape. There was a pause from the tense figure in the blackness. "Prepare him for the next assault.", the shrouded figure said without another thought. Dysley cackled lowly, "Of course Mistress. It should be quite the show."


	7. Chapter 7

A shiver ran its seductive hand down Hope's spine. Hope huddled himself closer to the corner of the jail's wall. He tucked all of his limbs in and contorted to fit inside the tiny edge. His clothes had holes in them from wear, letting even more of the frigid breeze touch his raw skin. Cold water dripped down from gashes in the ceiling, leaving stagnant puddles in the gritty floor. Outside the cell window, a flurry of rain blurred the cruel world and thunder roared insults at the shuddering boy.

Hope ran his hands up and down his arms to warm them. He frowned as watery dirt painted brown lines over his white skin with each brush of his hand. That didn't work. Hope wrapped his arms around his shins and pulled his legs closer. That didn't work. He rocked slowly back and forth. That didn't work. He tried to call on fire but his body was too warmth deprived. That didn't work. He gave up fruitlessly trying to warm himself and closed his eyes, resting his forehead on his knees.

He hadn't seen Serah again; the last thing he saw was the taunting, burning Cie'th. He wished something would come and warm him, even if they would slam his head in afterwards. He figured anything was better than to be alone in the empty cold.

His body was wracked by chills, making him shake erratically. He grew limper as the frosty hand began to pull him down, his own control slipping away with the chilling extra weight. Hope struggled against the icy grip, which shook him with more cold every time he tried to take himself back. His mind raced with questions on what was wrong with him. The cold pulled him down with its firm grip, causing Hope to seize onto the floor. His face collided with the hard floor and his hands fell into murky puddles.

The cold attempted to shush him using the extra chill it got from the water and from inside Hope himself, running its hand up along Hope's hands to his upper arms then throughout his body. Hope scolded it, snapping out his hands to take hold of it and pulling the cold to his grip. Hope clenched his fist as the cold hand retreated back to Hope's strong grip and Hope held its throat in his palm. The cold racked a few more chills through Hope's bones but he remained steadfast, continuing to reprimand the rebellious frost. It finally gave in and apologized. He let it go and the freeze left his grasp and spread out into a rippling surface.

Hope opened his eyes. He shifted up lethargically and sat back. He observed the puddle he had fallen into with curiosity. It was frozen solid, with an imprint of his hands in it. He sighed, coming to the conclusion he had just mastered a form of ice magic. He shivered but not as much as before and ran his hands along the floor to stop them from dripping. He brushed flakes of frost off his wrist and hugged his arms close. He was still cold.

Still alone.

"Kid.", a scratchy metal voice called out. Hope looked up. "Hey there.", a shapely purple Cie'th greeted with a surprisingly friendly tone. Hope's eyebrows lowered.

This Cie'th wasn't burly like the others. Rather, it had an almost feminine shape to it and instead of spikes it had shining deep purple scales. One of its hands had smooth, crooked claws almost like tree branches. The other hand was tipped like a double-edged lance, the two edges curling into each other and then out in deadly points. It had a neck unlike the others and out of its mouth a pair of heinous dark fangs hung like its claws. A head of scraggly, black, crystalline 'hair' entwined amongst the obsidian skin of its face. A large stream of blue scales ran in waves up and down the physique of the Cie'th like draped cloth.

"What do you want?", Hope sneered as he raised his hand up. He called out a blaze of fire but let it linger on his fingertips warningly. The Cie'th huffed, "Save your energy alright? You've got somewhere to be." Hope spat, "Why would I want to go anywhere? It's not like I can." The Cie'th raised a non existent eyebrow, "How do you figure that? The Mistress wants you to come." Hope lowered his hand and the embers died away, but he still glared intensely.

Hope scrawled up onto his feet and slowly limped forward. The Cie'th was quiet and watched as Hope tripped over his chain and stumbled. Hope drew in a breath and looked up at the Cie'th with the slightest bit of a contemptuous lip curl. The Cie'th said nothing but a melancholy air came from it. Hope continued forward until the chains held his ankles desperately back. The Cie'th opened the cell's door and walked in with more grace than most Cie'th. In its claws were a pair of keys. It unlocked the clasp holding the chains to the wall then ensnared the chains in its gnarly fingers.

It tested the chains' strength with a tug that caused Hope to totter back. Hope turned and glared at it but the Cie'th apologized to his surprise. "Sorry kid. Didn't think I pulled that hard." It huffed, "Let's get a move on. I would hate to leave the Mistress waiting."

Hope slightly gasped in surprise as the Cie'th pointed its lance hand into his back and pushed him along, the tips stinging into his back as a warning. The Cie'th kept a firm hold on Hope's chains and lead him through the halls. Hope looked around and analyzed the path, burning the route in his memory. He found it curious that not many Cie'th were lurking around and that the castle wasn't in complete ruins from all the scars it bore. He asked, "The Mistress...is that the Undying Cie'th?" The Cie'th chuckled, "Yeah...smart kid." Then it leaned forward and Hope's spine straightened up at its close whisper, "Don't become one of them." Hope blinked as it shoved him into a room at that.

It quickly shut the door behind them and Hope staggered back until the chains were taut. The Cie'th turned but its face didn't read malice rather concern. The Cie'th let go of the chains and Hope blinked in surprise at it, "Stay aw-" "Listen kid.", it spoke over him in urgency, "I can't have you dying out there."

Hope turned pale, "What do you mean-" "Just listen kid!", it roared causing Hope shrink away. Then it relaxed and raised a friendly hand to Hope, "I'm sorry. Just...", it exhaled, "Just listen." Hope nodded with an innocent expression and slowly got up, carefully placing his fingers over the Cie'th's claws as not to scratch his skin.

The Cie'th sighed and slowly went over to a cabinet. From what Hope could tell, the cabinet was filled with weaponry of all sorts. Maces, hammers, lances, arrows, and there were so many others on display. The Cie'th fumbled its hand into a hole in the cabinet, where the glass seemed to have been shattered earlier. It ensnared its claws around a weapon then fumbled back to Hope. "Take it.", the Cie'th held out the weapon to Hope. Hope carefully took it in his hands, keeping a wary eye on the Cie'th.

Hope fingered the boomerang in his hands. It was bright yellow in color with bursts of orange here and there. The edges were sharp like a knife, and its shape was slightly contorted to increase aerodynamics. Hope observed it carefully as he realized he could snap it open and closed, allowing for it to be hidden and compact. "Try it out.", the Cie'th flicked its head. Hope took one end in his right hand then reared back. He chucked it with great force and it sliced through the air with ease. It then curved back and Hope didn't even have to try to return it to his hand. It came back on its own.

"It's been enchanted.", the Cie'th said as Hope ran his thumb down its edge in curiosity, "It can hit any target you wish and then fly back to your hand without you having been trained before. It might need getting used to but...I hope it comes to your aid." Hope looked up at the Cie'th, "Why did you give me this?"

The Cie'th exhaled and raised a hand to its back, "Well I was sort of hoping you could return the favor..." Hope's eyes narrowed knowingly, "Right..." The Cie'th said, "But you're going to have too much to face as of now so...you can pay me back later." Hope exhaled and mumbled, "Fine." His fist tightened around his new boomerang. Just in case it changed its mind.

"Hide that.", the Cie'th pointed to the boomerang, "If the Mistress finds out I gave that to you, I'm as good as dust." Hope nodded attentively and the Cie'th took hold of his chains again. "Right, well, prepare yourself kid.", Hope shoved the boomerang into his pocket and pulled his shirt down to hide the end sticking out. Hope went ahead of it again and it lead him to a pair of large doors.

At the doors, a troop of Cie'th were stalking around. When they saw Hope near them, they started whispering things like, "Is that really him?", "He's only a kid.", "He's too weak. He definitely won't make it.", and, "This will be interesting, that's for sure." Hope grew visibly agitated and the Cie'th holding his chains yanked them. Hope's lip twitched and he continued forward with looming wrath. The Cie'th holding Hope's chains opened the doors.

Without warning, Hope was pushed from behind. He crashed into the dust, splaying out onto the floor. He scuffled up as he heard thunderous cackling and surveyed his surroundings.

It was a ballroom. The kind people would normally throw parties in and dance on. The kind that Hope had seen in his book's pictures. The kind where magical dreams happen. But those were normal ballrooms.

And this was a twisted nightmare.

The ballroom was enormous, spanning what was the size of two houses lined up together. The back of the ballroom had barred and broken stain glass windows, that tinged the silver light with colors that spread out into the mostly dim room. There were Roman style columns on either side of room and the floor was completely covered in crystal sand dunes. The walls were shining from reflected moonlight and glimmers came from a decorated chandelier that was still just barely hanging from the ceiling. The room had a few balconies hanging over it, that gave a clear view of the final floor Hope was on. And in those balconies were none other than a horde of Cie'th.

So many, almost too many to count. All shapes and sizes, all frightening demons; a sea of dark crystal. They all looked on Hope like spectators at a circus. They laughed, catcalled, and made a savage ruckus. Hope was the center of the ring, the freak show for your enjoyment.

Hope hurried back into the dark and to the door. The Cie'th who had dragged him there had lingered in the doorway, its face downcast. It dropped Hope's chains and closed the door quick. But not before whispering, "Good luck kid. You'll need it."

Hope tried to pry the door open with desperate fingers but some sort of magical force pulled on his chains. Hope's chains clattered as they shot into the air, dragging Hope along with them. Hope cried out in surprise and clawed at the sand, trying to catch hold of something and stop. The Cie'th roared out condescending laughs as Hope futilely blundered and left a trail in the sand. Hope turned and yanked at the chains but they remained taut, even tightening their cuffs around his ankles and wrists. Hope's ears burned as he listened to the Cie'th continue to mock him. Hope raised a hot hand to the chains but they only glowed orange with heat and didn't melt.

The chains had eventually dragged the floundering Hope to the center of the room. They then raised Hope up to his feet and clamped hard around him. They ensnared his limbs to his body with their vice like grip. Hope struggled to loosen them but they only got tighter, cutting his blood circulation off and making Hope light headed. He finally gave up and his body fell over onto the dust in a heap. He was stuck like a caterpillar in its cocoon.

His face was half in the dust and Hope wormed onto his back to see. The Cie'th were pointing crooked talons at him and shouting. Hope closed his eyes and wished them away. Then silence befell the crowd as a shrill wail split through the room, Hope's spine straightening at the ear-splitting sound. "The Mistress will now speak.", Dysley said after the wail had faded. Hope couldn't see where this Mistress was from glaring moonlight but he could hear her command clear as crystal.

"It is your Focus that you follow my orders l'Cie. And as for my order...Welcome to battle."

With that, an enormous clapping was heard from the Cie'th. "Unleash the target.", the Mistress announced. A tremor spread through the ballroom floor as something collided with it from above and rolled Hope over, his face back in the sand. A flurry of sand rushed into the air, causing the crowd to go wild. Hope squirmed to get up again as the Cie'th shouted and a glass shattering wail tore through the air near Hope. Hope's chains immediately unraveled at the sound's force. Hope shambled up and shrunk back in fright at what he saw, raising an arm over his face while his pupils shrank.

"That is your target.", the Mistress smiled contemptuously.


	8. Chapter 8

"No. No. No. No.", the barely audible sound that rolled off Hope's lips kept repeating that.

Hope shut his eyes tight and clenched his head in his crazed fingers. Someone just make it go away. He's having a nightmare, wake him up, wake him up. It's not real, not real...he's having a nightmare...he has to be! It can't be possible, just can't. There was no way...just NO WAY! Hope looked up with strained eyes at the hulking Cie'th above him. Hope shook with fear and finally asked the question, even though he already knew the answer.

"Is-", Hope gasped, "Is thaaat you...Rygdea?"

The Cie'th's answer was the slam of a hammer shaped hand into the sand in front of Hope.

The sand sprayed Hope in the face and Hope dragged himself up onto his feet. The Cie'th slashed the air right behind Hope's back as Hope quickly wiped the sand from his eyes with the back of his hand. Hope leapt away then turned to face the Cie'th. Hope's voice was still cracking, "B-but how?"

"You.", was all the Cie'th said. Hope's eyes widened as the Rygdea Cie'th shambled forward and swung its log-like arm in an attempt to bash Hope across the head. Hope ducked and rolled over down a sand dune and away. The Cie'th crowd roared in excitement and Hope looked up. Are they enjoying watching him get tormented?

Hope's nose twitched with scorn and he barely stumbled back in time as Rygdea swung his hammer tipped hand again. Hope looped under the arm and shot out a blaze of flames onto Rygdea's crystalline side. Rygdea turned in time to strike Hope across the arm and send him back onto the floor. Rygdea turned full circle to see Hope's hand ablaze then fell backwards himself. "How?", Hope shouted again as he sent another shot of fire down onto the collapsed figure.

"Cid Raines.", Rygdea snorted as he shuffled up, "Cid said he found the place where the legendary treasure of Anima's Tear was being kept." Hope blinked as he pieced together everything in his mind, leaving himself open to be tripped up. Rygdea smashed his hammer hand across Hope's shoulder, causing Hope to cry out in pain and fall to the dust in a heap with a soft thud.

Rygdea stood over Hope, "A bunch of us decided to head out, wishing to see for ourselves. Some of us didn't even want the treasure, rather we wanted to save it from the pitiful likes of you. Cid told us you were going off to steal it, that you kept such an important book so you could find it yourself! We knew how screwy you were and we needed to save ourselves.", Rygdea spat at Hope as Hope lay still and listened in dread, "Look at how far that got us. And yet...", Rygdea raised a beastly clawed hand in the air, "YOU were exempt of all people!"

Hope slowly backed away, sand sliding along with his feet. "You didn't become a monster! You were given a chance to live!", Hope's eyes widened as Rygdea bellowed, "A weak kid like you could never survive! Why didn't we have a chance!" Hope screeched as the sand around him swirled in a magical wind along with the curve of Rygdea's claws. Rygdea dropped his hand and the wind grew fierce, tossing all of the dust into the air. The dust swirled together into a raging blue cyclone and the crowd of Cie'th went wild.

Not that Hope could hear them well, being at the eye of the maelstrom.

Hope was knocked in between competing gale forces as they churned together. His head snapped from left to right and sand kept him from opening his eyes. Hope was in a frenzy as he tried to focus on a spell, but his body was being tossed and turned so much that he had to concentrate on not vomiting.

BAM! Hope's eyes were forced open as the wind threw him out and Hope's spine threatened to shatter against the curve of a pillar. Hope's wretched yell made the crowd of Cie'th cheer and gravity slammed Hope's right side in on itself as he crashed to the ground in with a bang that made the chandelier shake.

Hope didn't move after that, his body limp; broken and twisted in ways it was never meant to be. A tiny streak of dark blood colored the dank marble floor as a laceration from Hope's back cried out in agony. Rygdea snarled in triumph and let the sand fall back down onto the floor. The sand blanketed the floors in a storming heap, causing Hope to disappear along with it. The Cie'th bellowed cheers.

Dysley turned to the en-shadowed Mistress, "He failed miserably. Pitiful." The Mistress' glowing eyes kept staring intently at the floor. Dysley huffed and followed her eye line. The sand was getting dark from a singular spot in the floor. The dark crept rapidly out in waves, until it had covered all of the sand in a dim facade.

Rygdea wailed like distressed metal under a compressor as the sand swallowed up his heels and began to choke out gasps of air. He attempted to lurch out of its hungry gulps, but he sank into the torrent quicker. Dysley's eyes widened in surprise and the Cie'th fell quiet. "Mis-", he began but she snapped over him, "Be quiet."

Out of the origin of the whirling dark sand, an almost gelatinous figure began to emerge from the slopping, wet sand that stuck like concrete. Their hand shot out from the sopping form, a green-tinted mist coming from the brand on their wrist. Finally Hope shook his head to rid it of the lingering sand goo and churned the crystal dust with wave-like spell movements of his hand.

The water in the sand was heavy to control and took constant strong, sweeping hand motions to keep going. Hope concentrated all of his energy on supplying his new found water magic. He didn't lift his eyes off the fruitlessly grappling Rygdea; his face reading conviction. He raised his hand against an unseen force and the water swallowed up Rygdea as if Rygdea was in his fist and formed a swirling, sandy tomb that floated up off the ground.

Dysley huffed, "This kid is indeed an odd one." The Mistress blinked, "He's still too weak. Look." Hope flinched at the deathly screams Rygdea made and his hand began to falter, losing out on the rhythmic movements. The sand began to slow and the water stream down, causing the sphere to lighten. Rygdea let out one long screech and Hope finally bit his lip and dropped his hand down. The sand crumbled down onto the floor like it had come from a broken hourglass and took Rygdea spilling out with it. Rygdea was barely scuffling and Hope hesitated, trying to decide what to do.

Hope finally broke down and ran to Rygdea's side. "I'm sorry!", Hope shouted as he tried to grab Rygdea's arm to help him up. Rygdea recoiled his arm and rasped out, "Bartholomew..your father...he's..." Hope stepped back, his eyes hidden but voice empty, "What?" "He-" A wail broke through the air and Hope's arms shot out forward by themselves.

Hope's eyes glazed over and his face went blank with hysteria. A wind ruffled Hope's hair and his clothes. Hope's arms stayed taut and pointed out to his chains and Rygdea's chest. Important words died on a crystal breeze that floated out with the wind and drifted amongst the weeping dune's breezes. They welcomed the new dust with a sad greeting but left the silence to itself. Hope's chains finally lowered to the ground without anything tangible left to be stabbed through. Rygdea's bleeding red eye faded to black then crumbled into nothing but sand.

The Cie'th crowd didn't stir; the silence was thick in their throats. Dysley turned from Hope to the Mistress. Her 'hands' were outstretched, mirroring Hope's position. Her eyes narrowed and she broke the silence with her roguish voice.

"Never have mercy on your target."

Hope remained frozen and emotionless for a second. Then it all struck him.

His wrist crackled with static and warm air churned a cold mist emanating for his brand. Hope screamed in agony as he let loose a storm of lightning rain and chilling currents across the ballroom. The chandelier flapped in the wind and some of the stained glass windows shattered. The Cie'th frenzied; attempting to escape from the instant mania. Dysley whispered, "Mistress he-" "Quiet.", she shushed him again and peered down at Hope expectantly.

Right on cue, the storm subsided and Hope fell to his knees. He buried his face in his hands and curled up into a bawling mess. The Mistress' cold eyes seemed to flicker for a second but she blinked and they hardened again. She commanded, "Restrain him and return him to the dungeon." Dysley nodded and a slew of large Cie'th went after Hope.

"STAY AWAY!", Hope shrieked as they closed in on him, a blast of wind sending them all flying back. Hope looked around in a daze and spotted the shattered stain glass window. He ran to it with so much speed that the shambling Cie'th only saw his shadow as it leapt out the window. Dysley turned to the Mistress and she sighed. "Send Fang to fetch him. I don't want him making it to the gate.", her tone was slightly concerned it seemed.


	9. Chapter 9

Hope's hands burned as his velocity made him skid down vines that rose from the ground to the window. His skin began to turn red under the blue bruises and brown dirt and he winced as the thorny vines scratched up his palms. His hands had enough of the abuse and let go of the vines without Hope's permission. He screamed as he free fell down, desperately clawing for holds on the brick wall but only getting sore, unforgiving joints in return. He gasped in pain as he landed on a bed of prickly plants.

Tears streamed down Hope's face as he struggled to get up but his body bleed back as an answer. His back was still crooked from his whirlwind encounter and the blood from his gash was feeding the dirt beneath him. His nerves were on fire, burning him with so much pain that Hope decided he would have to give in. He sat in his aching body, greeting the darkness again.

"Don't give in Hope! We need you!"

Hope's eyes shot open, "Serah?" Serah was not seen but her voice urged, "Get up Hope! You need to go!" The bushes shook as Hope frantically turned side to side, "Serah!" Serah urged, "Go! Go!" Hope blinked and the tears sped up, "I can't! I can't do this!..." Serah's imaginary head shook, "No Hope! I know you can! Just think, if you get up, then you'll see me again. See your dad again!"

Hope blinked, "But Rygdea-" "He's still alive Hope. He's searching for you. I've seen him...that's why you need to go!", Serah's warm voice made Hope's insides soothe. Hope blinked slowly and his tears stopped, "Yeah...you're right." Hope's heart warmed as Serah whispered, "Thank goodness..." The warmth spread out to Hope's muscles and he exhaled. Hope lifted his arms up and stared in amazement as he watched his skin glow blue. The edges of his scars inched closer to each other and his skin stitched back together seamlessly. The cells regenerated and stood firm together, tending to Hope's aches and scratches and making most of them disappear all together.

Hope carefully got up (wincing occasionally as the thorns pricked him) and finally found foot hold on the ground. He swiped lingering shrubbery from his back and clothes then looked around, wondering which way to go. A wail from above him broke Hope's train of thought. He looked up and saw a flock of flying Cie'th diving in after him. He charged forward, not caring which direction he was running in as long as it was away from them.

Hope's confused feet scrambled left and right in a drunken line as he dodged incoming Cie'th. One Cie'th sliced the air to Hope's right, causing Hope to veer left and tumble over his own foot. Hope clambered to steady himself, wincing as he grabbed hold of a spiky bush. The Cie'th snapped at him and Hope braced himself as he lodged himself into the prickly flora. He squeezed in, a Cie'th barely missing his foot. Hope opened one eye and trudged his way through the briar as fast as he could crawl.

Crooked red lines scraped with each movement, sending a continuous string of poison leeching Hope's veins. Hope's face contorted from pain but he didn't dare use his healing magic from fear it would give away his location. Hope's heart raced as he saw a light at the end of the thorn tunnel and he scurried towards it hungrily.

Hope looked out through the gaps of thorny branches and moonlight cast a silver shade onto the scene. The iron entry gate of the castle cast a shadow on the ground in front of him, a mere yard away and he'd be free. Hope watched carefully as Cie'th loomed about searching for him. One of them flew down to the ground and barked at the others to go search elsewhere. Hope's lips let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He kept still until not one Cie'th was in his line of sight then tensed his legs as he readied to dash away from cover. Hope gave one last look at his wrist and took an unsteady breath, praying for success.

He extended his legs and launched out, the bush shaking as he tore away from it. He shook lingering twigs from his hair with a fierce shake of the head. His breath was unsteady and speedy; the kind you get from an insane adrenaline rush. His feet pounded on the dirt floor; he didn't care if the Cie'th heard him or not-he was determined to beat them to his freedom.

Hope was within arm's reach from the door when he heard someone screech, "NO!" Hope's chest lurched but he didn't dare stop now. He grabbed the gate with his right hand and went to pull it open when his brand flashed out a blinding gray light that bound around the gate and sealed Hope's hand.

Hope's hand froze around the bar, his muscles glued tight and sucked in like he had pressed it into the mouth of a vacuum. Tremors of freezing hot radiation tore open Hope's skin from underneath, revealing raw muscle and bone that began to rip as the force pulled at it. The tears burst along Hope's hand up to his wrist like a rapid poison. The rest of Hope's body seized with the bass sound type feeling and he fell to the ground with his right hand still fixated on the vibrating iron bar.

Hope's deathly shrieks shattered the air and he focused his energy on trying to yank his palm from the bar, causing the tears to widen and burns to slice through Hope's nerves and flesh until they thinned into throbbing, flimsy threads. Various body fluids spewed from the mutilated hand and created a sickening, sticky stream down the gate and Hope's arm. His head pounded as the rushing blood roared out from his affixed hand and left the rest of his body a drained, scrambling, cold mess. Hope's feet calloused against the dirt, his frenzied momentum not enough to pull him from the gate and lines appeared in worn earth as his feet slipped again and again and began to streak his pool of fluid along with it. He jerked his stuck arm with his other hand, but he began to slip as the two opposing forces of Hope's pull and the suction of the bar was too much to bear.

His mangled hand began to twist out of shape like a gory putty and Hope let out agonizing screams of pain accompanied by rivulets of muddy salt tears. His steady blood waterfalls from the devastated tissue began to trickle and remain stagnant in his veins. Hope's throat dried up and only a rasping, abused sound came from it. Finally the gruesome sound rumbled up out of his chest and Hope's head bobbled as he puked blood and bile, the substances mixing with the other body fluids in a repugnant slough. Hope's energy was expelled along with the retches and he hung by his hand like a piece of butchered kill.

His fingers curled in beyond a joint's normal capacity, his skin peeling back and melting into his tender muscle and fractured bones. His palm began to bowl up, creating a dome like shape with distorted talon-like fingers ensnaring out like chipped cat claws. The deformed hand changed from a dripping, grisly red and blue to a ghastly dark green and black. The ripped muscle fibers stopped pulsing and hardened, cracking as they shifted from raw flesh into shards of ridged stone. His exposed stringy nerves morphed into smooth streaks of glass, embedding themselves into the slowly emerging spikes of stone. The icy substance flowed over the hardening and transforming tissue, creating a mirror-like membrane as it swept over the tightening rock flesh filaments.

Finally the light dimmed and Hope's hand broke off the iron bars, his whole body slumped over and sat in the pool of plasma. Hope was completely unconscious, a small trail of tears gushing from his closed eyes and blood spilling down his cheek from his mouth. His body seized, sending spastic waves and pulses throughout his broken form. The only thing that didn't move was his heavy, mutant hand.

The same fanged Cie'th from before had watched in horror as Hope fought against the gate, had even called out to him even though it knew it could do nothing. It winced and looked away, waiting for Hope's crystal shattering shrieks to stop. When it heard the poor boy's violent vomiting, it had to fight hard not to gag itself. That became hard when it finally went up to the fainted and maimed child. It swallowed hard and carefully took the ill-fated boy by the untouched arm, dragging him as delicately as possible out of his nasty puddle. It brushed the blood from the child's body, all while cursing under its breath. Why did someone this young have to be subject to this cruel torture?

It cradled him in its arms and shambled back to the castle. It was going through the entry hall when someone called out to it.

"Fang.", they stated. The Cie'th holding Hope spoke with the slightest bit of spite under its breath, "Yeah?"

Fang raised her crystal arm up over Hope's stained face. The voice murmured, "He is..." "Isn't this what you wanted Mistress?", Fang spat. The Mistress' blue eyes appeared in the shadows to the right of Fang, "No. I didn't want it to come to this." Fang turned to the eyes and raised a protective arm over Hope, "It's too late for that isn't it? Look." Fang held up Hope's dis-formed hand and waved it, "This is what you cause! Don't you feel remorse?" Fang was radiating with anger and The Mistress sighed in defeat.

"Fang...", The Mistress said, her voice getting softer, "I do."

Fang huffed with sarcasm, "Sure you do!", Fang's arm flailed, "You don't even care!" Fang began to storm away when the Mistress walked out from behind her and out of the shadows. "Wait.", she said. Fang turned to face her but the moonlight was too glaring from where she was to see much more than the blue eyes. "It's too late to apologize!", Fang hissed. "I know apologizing isn't enough.", the voice was dark again, "But there is more we can do." Fang's eyes flicked, "I'm listening." The Mistress paused then uttered a sentence so soft that only Fang could hear it.

Fang's teeth curled a little and she said, "You're serious?" The Mistress nodded silently. Fang whistled, "Man, you've let this one get to you. Thought I'd never see the day..." Fang's eyes flicked as she tested the word carefully.

"Lightning."


	10. Chapter 10

Drip. Drip. Drip.

The aching heart Hope had subconsciously cradled hit the ground.

He knew he had failed, all the signs pointed to it. He moaned in lingering pain as he slowly recalled the gory details of what happened to him. He heard the familiar dripping sound of his jail cell, remembering he had been stuck to the gate and never got it open and then blacked out. All of his body quavered in pain, he had been torn through by some strange magical force. His brain was splitting in two, his entire nervous system had broken down and rebuilt into a weird new structure. He had a foul vomit taste in his mouth, he remembered something nauseating gripping him and churning his insides until he cried and was forced into letting it out in pukes. And from what he could tell from the blur of his puffy eyes, his rough, dirty skin and ragged clothes were caked with dried blood and other liquids he did not want to name, even in his mind. They had come from...something that had torn open his right hand.

He blinked as he suddenly became aware that his right hand felt different. He sent an electrical pulse through his veins until he felt the message change, sending a strange sensation back up to his brain. It was sharp and hard, like he had pricked his fingers over spiky crystals. It ground on the inside of his brain and he bit his lip. He cautiously sent another message down his nerves and got the notion that something was wrong.

He wasn't touching crystals. He knew that. The feeling was more like his hand had been cemented into a spiky crystal casing. Like a glove, but one that was actually a part of him, one that sent a sickening feeling through Hope.

His heart was staked into the floor it had hit.

Hope sent a flurry of urgent messages to his wrong hand, wincing as it sent back its own barrages to his mind. Hope raised his other, seemingly normal hand up to his head even though it didn't help the internal stabs much. He groaned as he lifted his heavy right hand up, driving the knife through his heart deeper. He shuffled up to his knees, struggling to pull his dense hand up off of the ground. He lowered his other hand from his head to use it to pull the deadweight up to his eye line to examine the hand. Although he wished he hadn't.

His human hand was no longer there. But a Cie'th hand was.

Well that is if you could call it a hand. It very vaguely resembled a hand.

The skin had become a clear glass surface and his muscle and nervous tissue was transformed into dark green, blue, and black strains. The crystal veins glowed with a light green light that resembled the light that shined from his brand. Hope could see liquids, magic, and electric pulses circulating throughout, ebbing back and forth. Rough crystal spikes sprouted out from his wrist then abruptly ended like a glove or prosthetic hand. His palm was bowled up and his fingers curled awkwardly like his was holding an invisible circular item from the top and digging his fingernails into the sides to hold on with curled fingers. Speaking of his fingers, they were dis-formed into crimped, branch-like claws and the nails were pointed and sharp like barbed thorns.

His heart tore open from the inside out as it beat around the stake.

He shrieked as swung his arm wildly, it slumped down a little bit from the displaced weight. He slammed the hand into the floor hard, hoping to crack the crystals off. Instead, he felt immense pain from scratching the crystals. He realized that the crystals were a part of him from the shooting pain he got from the glassy nerves. He smashed it into the floor again out of hatred and fear. He screamed and tried to raise his monstrous hand up again but the weight was too much and he was too worked from shock to get it off the ground. He was so worn down that he slumped over, anchoring to the side due to the uneven mass.

Hope curled his knees in and pulled them close to his chest with his normal hand. He buried his face in his normal hand, his eyes hurting from losing too much moisture before, so much so that he couldn't close them and let sleep take him away. He sat there and just listened...drip...drip...creak...

Hope turned his head. Fang had opened his door and was slowly walking towards him. Hope snarled at her, "What do you want?" Fang unsteadily got down on her 'knees' and bent crooked to look at Hope in the face, "Came to check on you." Hope's eyes were cold, "So you can take me back to the ballroom right? Watch me nearly die again?"

He raised his normal hand with fire magic at the ready. Fang gave a side glance to his hand than looked down at Hope's face. He looked very serious and merciless with hatred blazing in his pupils, but something about him seemed off. Fang just kept looking down at him with melancholy, soft eyes.

Hope's eyes narrowed as he warningly flicked his fingers and sent a few hissing embers onto Fang's shoulder. She didn't even flinch, locked in a gaze with Hope. The corner of Hope's mouth twitched at her unblinking gaze and watched as Fang softly grinned. His eyes widened and his expression fell into that of a lost and scared child.

Fang chuckled and slowly raised one arm up to Hope's hand and lead it back down to his side, the flames dying away. She moved her hand over to his Cie'th hand and gently took it in her larger one. Hope shook a little and she whispered, "It's fine kid."

Hope blinked hard as Fang pulled him up by his heavy hand to his feet. She dusted him off, gently patting him down carefully with the back of her smooth crystal hand. Hope shivered a little and when she started to back away, he snatched her wrist. She looked down at him, his eyes hidden behind his silver bangs and pointed down at his grip. She chuckled again and ruffled the top of his head with her hand. He dropped her wrist and she moved over to the wall and unlocked his chains. He stood still, staring at the ground as he felt the chains clink as she gathered them up in her hands.

"Listen.", she whispered as she walked forward again, "I'm not here to take you back there. I never wanted to take you there in the first place." She opened the jail cell door and flicked her head to signal Hope to walk forward, "I'm here to take you to your father." Hope looked up at her, and her heart broke a little at the innocent, uncertain look on his face.

His eyes flicked from Fang's face to the ground, "You're...you're lying." Fang huffed and swiftly lifted his chin to have him stare up at her in all seriousness, "I'm not. The Mistress is letting you go see him." Hope shoved her away and hung his head so he didn't have to look at her. He shifted uncomfortably as he thought it through and she waited until he exhaled in exhaustion and defeat and nodded.

Fang patted his head again and said, "Don't worry kid." Hope continued walking and he went back up the stairs with Fang close behind. At one point, his foot slipped a little and Fang yanked his chain to keep him upright. He steadied himself and murmured, "Thanks." She said, "No problem." Hope lifted his foot to continue up when he stopped for a second. Fang's eyes narrowed curiously as she heard him whisper.

"Why aren't you prodding me along?" "How do you know your way around?"

Hope continued walking at that. Fang chuckled, "I knew you were a smart kid." "When did you want me to return your favor?", Hope asked, barely turning his head back. She said, "You're going to see your dad. I won't interrupt." He paused and turned to face her completely, "I will do it though." He looked up at her eyes then shied down.

"I promise."

He lifted his normal pinky up and flicked his eyes up at her then shied away again. Fang blinked then smiled and wrapped her claw around his pinky as carefully as possible, "You're a good kid you know that?"

She flicked her head, "What's your name anyway?" Hope looked up at her, "Hope." He wrapped his entire hand around her claw in a shake, "And you...?" "Fang.", she replied, taking her claw back and gathering up his chains in both hands again, "Come on now, let's not leave Dad waiting." Hope and Fang smirked then continued on.

As they approached the end of the flight of stairs, Fang let go of Hope's chains and said, "He's right up there. Cell on the end." She exhaled, raising her hand to her neck, "Listen Hope..." Hope turned to face her, "Hrm?" Fang looked down and mumbled, "About..."

Hope raised an eyebrow at her but was too distracted by violent coughing. "Hah-ho-", a husky voice stuttered in between coughs. Hope scurried up the stairs, "Dad?" "Ho-o-pe!", the intermittent coughs slightly drowned the yell. Hope hurried to the end of the hall and to the last cell. Hope smiled as he saw his dad mostly unharmed in the cell. He discreetly hid his Cie'th hand behind his back.

"Dad!", Hope almost yelled in delight, slipping his normal hand through the bar to his Dad. Hope's father was also chained to the wall but he managed to get to the bars. "Hope...", his dad mumbled as he took Hope's hand. Hope smiled then asked concerned, "Are you okay Dad? I heard you coughing and-" "No Hope, it's just a cold.", Hope's dad squeezed Hope's hand, "I'm just happy to see you're safe." Hope let out a half-hearted chuckle. Hope's face became downcast and his dad noticed, "Hope?"

"I have lots of things I have to tell you Dad. But first..."

Hope shut his eyes and pulled his Cie'th hand out from behind him and into the light.

What came next made Hope's heart explode.


	11. Chapter 11

"You. You aren't Hope."

Hope opened his eyes and looked his Dad in the face. "What?", Hope murmured incredulously. His father pulled Hope's hand towards him and examined at his brand. Hope's face drooped at his father's disgusted expression but he urged, "Dad-" "No. I'm not your father." Hope's eyes squinted from being filled with water and his entire face began to pinch up, "Fa-"

"I said I'm not your father you-monster!"

Hope cried out and his voice cracked, "You don't mean that! It's me!" "No, Hope is long gone.", Hope's father spat and turned away from Hope with a disdained expression. Hope reached out to grab his father's arm. His dad promptly turned and faced him. Hope's tone, expression, and grasp were desperate, "Don't do this to me. Don't leave me alone. Don't leave your only son-your only family alone...Don't leave me alone!" Hope's father gave him one long, hard look as Hope squinted his eyes shut out of shock and fear. From how Hope looked, it seemed like everything hung in the balance and that he would die from the answer. Hope opened his green pool eyes and pleaded with a gasp, "Please."

Hope's dad shoved himself away, leaving Hope's hand in the air behind him and a tear rolling down Hope's cheek.

"No!", Hope quietly yelled, desperately reaching out with his hand as far as the bars would let him. "Please, please, please!", Hope muttered as sobs began to take over his voice, "Don't!" Hope's father had his back turned and didn't listen. Hope rubbed his face into the bar to get closer, "Dad! Don't!" Water dripped down Hope's hand from his outstretched palm, water magic flowing down along with his tears.

Drip, drip, drip.

"Dad! Please don't!", Hope shrieked as a burst of water magic streamed out from his hand and splashed Hope's father's back. Hope's father quickly moved from the stream's way and yelled, "Get back monster!" The water began to drip from Hope's palm again as it slowed but his tears got faster. "Don't!", Hope shrieked again and his father quickly turned and smacked his hand. Hope cried out and recoiled his hand to his chest, backing away from the bars.

Fang swooped in as Hope curled into a bawling ball. "Shh shh.", she whispered to Hope while patting his shoulder, "He doesn't mean that." Hope cried out to say something but Fang couldn't tell what it was. Instead she picked the boy up again, being careful not to prick him. Hope coiled his arms around her neck and curled his face inwards. Fang hissed at Hope's dad's back then began to leave, chains dragging behind her.

As she began down the stairs again, she softly continued to shush Hope's crying. "Come on now, you're a tough kid. No need to cry.", she said, patting Hope's head. Hope swallowed hard and looked up, "Fang...I'm not strong. I don't have anything anymore." Fang's eyes twinkled, "Oh really now? What's that make me, Behemoth liver? Hm?" Hope didn't laugh, "You're just going to leave like the rest of them." Fang stopped and her tone became completely no-nonsense, "No. I won't. I promised." Hope blinked and Fang chuckled, "You promised too y'know. So don't just go backing out of your word now."

She opened the door to Hope's cell and re-chained him. Hope sat down and Fang wobbled down next to him, exhaling. "I'm not strong.", Hope muttered, staring at the floor with his bangs covering his eyes and his normal hand anchored on one knee.

Fang blinked as he continued without looking up, "When I was little, I got really sick. Dad was out at an invention faire and Mom was frantic. She knew she had to go searching for medicine or else I'd die. After that, I had gone to sleep, I guess it was from the sickness. When I woke up next, Dad was there alone and he was crying. I asked him what was wrong and he said that Mom was gone-that she wasn't coming back."

He paused then continued his voice cracking for a second, "She-she had died while she was looking for a cure for me. Dad said that he found me near death when he came back and had gone out and found it himself, learning Mom's fate along the way. I-I couldn't believe it."

He swallowed hard, "Dad gave up his job to stay home and take care of me. He began to make a profit by selling inventions and the whole town looked down on us. My Dad because he was a crazy inventor and me because...because of everything about me I guess. Everyone kept their distance from us and after what Rygdea said, it made sense. Even though my Dad didn't say anything, I knew he wasn't happy and was pretending. What just happened proved it." Hope sighed and his voice broke again, "Everyone gets hurt because of me."

Fang chuckled and pulled Hope into an affectionate shake with one arm, "On the contrary. Everyone has hope because of you." Hope let out a wry snort and pulled away. Fang turned his shoulder so he'd see how serious she was, "I'm serious. There are a bunch of other Cie'th like me who are hopeful because you're here." Hope spat, "Because you want to break the weak kid, I know." Fang shouted, "Listen Hope! Don't go selling yourself short. I know you're strong! I know you can fix this entire mess."

Hope didn't say anything as Fang exhaled, "I know you can save her."

Fang turned to the quiet Hope, "I'm Oerba Yun Fang. I come from the kingdom of Pulse." Hope looked up at her in confusion as he fumbled, "But we beat them at war during the monarchial times..." Fang quieted him as she said over him, "Yes you did. But you've figured out that this is the long lost castle of the Cocoon royal family by now right?" Hope nodded, remembering the story from his book well. Fang continued, "Yes well, my partner and I were Pulse fal'Cie l'Cie. During the war between our two bitter kingdoms, we were tasked with taking down the Cocoon royal family. And we were successful...but...we never crystallized and my partner still had her time running out. I wasn't about to let her go Cie'th and she and I...had a falling out and she went by herself to take down the princess. Then the curse was inflicted and I freaked out."

Fang exhaled and her voice became grave, "I would do anything for Vanille. I'd tear down the sky, kill thousands of Cie'th, defy the fal'Cie, even burn the entire world if it meant saving her." She exhaled again and almost hesitated over revealing the truth.

"So I became The Mistress' l'Cie. For Vanille."

Hope gasped and Fang chuckled. Her tone became very serious again as she continued, "Vanille had become a Cie'th Stone after the curse had accelerated her time tenfold to the final stage of Cie'th-dom. I knew that l'Cie were able to help free the poor Cie'th souls and I knew I had to become an active l'Cie to save her." Hope stared down at the floor in thought as she kept going, "The Mistress was surprised when I approached her about it but she agreed to make me a l'Cie. Apparently, Vanille was running away from her Focus of having to kill the Mistress because they had become friends." Fang exhaled, "She said that Vanille wouldn't go a day without thinking about me. I was never able to forget her either." Fang paused dreamily as she stared up at the ceiling, reminiscing about Vanille no doubt.

Hope took the chance to ask, "What was your Focus?" Fang turned back to him, "Right well...", Fang hesitated for a second, "Same as yours." Hope stared at the ground with sad eyes, "I see." Fang patted his shoulder, "But I didn't fail because of that." Hope looked up at her, "Why then?" Fang's eyes were cloudy and she couldn't make a sound even though her mouth was open. Hope begged, "Please." She looked down at his innocent expression. Pairing that with the pleading puppy face he was giving her...and those green eyes.

Vanille had green eyes.

Fang blinked as she saw Vanille flash before her with the same cute look in her green eyes and her playful energy along with her endearing face. Vanille smiled playfully, "Please Fang?" Fang blinked again and saw Hope lean to the side a little bit to get her attention.

She blinked again and fumbled, "Ah, well..." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as she said, "My time ran out too." Hope stayed silent in thought as Fang pushed the words forth, "The Mistress obviously willed that I would save Vanille...but I couldn't. I had grown close to the Mistress as well. And for some reason, Vanille's stone wouldn't communicate with me so that I could fulfill her Focus in the first place." Fang laughed, "Probably because I had fought with her and she never forgave me." Hope looked downcast as Fang let out a sigh that read she was wallowing in regret. "And so...", Fang raised her lanced hand into the air and gave Hope a look, "Here I am."

She lowered her hand and turned to Hope, "But you know, I believe it was fate that we were to meet. I've waited so long-everyone in this castle has. We were waiting for a l'Cie to come along that could help us finish our business. So that we could move on and leave all of our regrets behind. But no one was able to. No one was able to make a difference, even a slight one. However, I saw it in the Mistress' eyes. Something about her changed a little when she saw you. So I'm completely confident you can change everything." Fang chuckled and held up her 'pinky'.

"You promised after all."

Hope stared down emptily at the floor. "I'm a l'Cie right? I have to...I have to be strong.", he clasped his hands together and his eyes began to light up, "But I won't do it just for me. I'll do it for you and Vanille and..." Serah.

Hope looked up at Fang, "So what do you think I should do now?" Fang got up, "I was hoping you'd ask that." She stretched a little bit as she said, "Well, get up. We have somewhere to take you." Hope shot her a questioning look as she undid his chains again. "Don't worry, it's no where bad. I'm going to help you fix that hand of yours." Fang lowered her hand to Hope who got up, anchoring himself on her hand.

Fang then went to the door and flicked her head. Hope didn't move and Fang said, "Well?" Hope's eyes flicked down at his chains then up at Fang. Fang chuckled, "No need for that. How many times have we gone over this?" Fang held up her pinky. Hope smiled and did the same before they headed out.

Hope's chains rattled freely against the floor.


	12. Chapter 12

"Fang! Stop it!", Hope screeched, a drop of sweat running down the side of his face. "Relax! It won't hurt much longer.", Fang said urgently as her hand came down. Hope shrieked, "No! It hurts! Stop it!" He tried to wriggle free of her hold as she slammed down again. He shrieked from pain and a loud clanging accompanied it.

Hope grabbed the edge of a table to pull away again but Fang snatched him by the chest in her claws and held him down. "Just-keep-still!", Fang fumbled as she tried to keep the writhing boy quiet. She struck him again and he yelled, "No, you're going to completely break it!" She shouted in his ear, "If you'd keep still then I could be more precise and it would hurt less!" She hissed as he snatched his hand back just as her hammer came down again. She pressed her lanced hand into his back and hissed, "Do you want me to fix your hand or not?"

Hope pouted in defeat and Fang huffed as she raised her hammer up again. He closed his eyes, bracing himself for the incoming slam. He inhaled sharply as the hammer struck his hand, sending a shattering feeling up his arm. Fang brushed his hand free of broken crystal shards and whispered, "See? It's getting better." He opened one eye and looked at his hand.

Sure enough, the spiky crystals were eroded and smoothed down. It retained more of a hand shape, minus the crooked fingers and slightly twisted palm. He could still see through it and it was still definitely crystal, but at least it wasn't as heavy or in the way as much. Fang sighed as she placed her hammer down and picked up a bucket, "Brace yourself, this might hurt." Hope quickly sucked in a breath and winced as she poured a lacquer like liquid over his hand. It burned and he bit his lower lip but it soon cooled and he exhaled with the ebb.

He opened his eyes and looked up at Fang, "Is it done?" She threw the bucket aside carelessly, "Yeah, I'd say that's the best I can do." He shook his hand to test it and said, "Did you really have to make it hurt that much though?" She snorted, "What'd you expect? I had to sand down your nerves!" He pushed that image to the back of his mind and simply nodded with a hard swallow. She exhaled and said, "But hey, at least the bad part's over."

He shot her a frightened look, "There's more?" She raised a hand to the back of her head, "Hey don't worry. I'm just giving you more equipment to survive out there. Besides..." She looked Hope up and down, "You don't want to stay in THAT do you?" Hope gave his nasty, torn clothes a look down and hesitantly nodded. She chuckled and patted his shoulder, "Come on, we'll get you all fixed up."

Fang was busy shuffling through drawers when she heard the door open again. She looked back and analyzed Hope, who had re-emerged from another room. "Hrm...I think that suits you well.", she nodded in approval. Hope toyed with his crystal fingers and said, "You sure it's okay?" Fang gave him another look down.

The new outfit was obviously much warmer for the cold weather out here, with an orange cap sleeved sweater and a black shirt underneath. The army green cargo pants were an obvious choice for durability and he finally had suitable shoes for all the running he'd be doing. He had wrapped a teal bandanna around his neck and she noticed with a twinkling eye he had covered his l'Cie brand with a yellow wristband. She chuckled and said, "You look fine kid."

"Now then,", Fang gathered up things in her hands and said, "You still have your boomerang right?" Hope nodded and pulled the boomerang out from his back pocket to show proof. "Good. I have some more presents for you. Happy birthday.", she grinned as she pushed something into his other hand. Hope put his boomerang away then stared down at the items before him.

"Iron..bracelets?", he asked, puzzled by the clamoring jewelry. Fang snorted, "Iron bangles thank you very much. Put them on." Hope hesitated but listened, slipping a bangle on each wrist. "They'll help you regain energy quicker. They're like a...health booster." Hope nodded as he felt them slightly vibrate on his skin, embedding itself in his inner energy through his skin as a magical brace. "For the next item..." Fang slipped her hands on either side of Hope's head and he took the hint to lean over as she slipped something around his neck.

He picked it up in his hand and ran his thumb over the face of the strangely shaped amulet. It sparkly a dark purple and looked a little like a mini shield crest. Slight wave-like vibrations came from the center of it and spread out to the sides in a rhythm. "That's a Watchman's Amulet. When you're in a pinch, it'll use synergy to cast a protective barrier around you." Hope tucked the necklace under his bandanna as something struck him upside the neck.

He let out a surprised yelp and then said, "What was that for?" Fang said a curt apology then huffed, "I wasn't trying to hurt you." Hope stuck the tip of his tongue out, "Because after what happened before that makes sense." She bumped his shoulder and he grinned. He went to raise his hand to the side of his neck, where his skin tingled a little bit from an almost electrical burn, "Seriously though?" Fang explained as the burn settled, "Oh yeah. I've slapped a Sorcerer's Mark on ya. It's a mark that has been imbued with magic power. It'll make your spells more powerful."

Fang took a step back, giving him a once over, "All that equipment together will synthesize to give you one powerful magical barrier. With all that strong equipment under your belt, I'm sure you'll be as strong as you want." He fiddled with his fingers as he thanked her. "I'll try my best.", he affirmed. She looked down at his hands, with a slightly pouting look. He shot her a look of curiosity as she quickly turned around and then turned back, snatching both of his hands.

He blinked as she slipped a pair of black and white gloves over his hands, concealing the crystal completely. "There.", she said, patting his shoulder, "Now you look perfect."

Hope tested the gloves by curling his fingers and was surprised when even his crystal hand moved rather smoothly. Fang flicked her head, "Come on then, let's take you back to your cell before the Mistress changes her mind." He shot her a questioned look, "She told you to do this for me?" She chuckled but didn't answer.

But for Hope, that was an answer enough. Or maybe it was more questions? Especially about this Mistress... he shook his head a little. He's just too curious.

"What?", Fang chuckled as she noticed him lost in thought, brushing his shoulder. "Nothing.", Hope smiled as he played with his gloved fingers.


	13. Chapter 13

Hope exhaled as he outstretched his palm and held his arm straight. "Okay now concentrate. Focus on the electric magic pulses. Feel the magical energy welled up deep inside and use that to build up the electricity. Intensify it. Then when it feels strong enough to you, release.", Fang instructed. Hope nodded and closed his eyes, entering the black room under his eyelids that lit white as he concentrated.

A wave of conflicting and chatty magic broke out into a crowd before him. They mingled with each other, each having a distinct feel to them and their own individuality at a lively party. The soft hand with the fuzzy, flowy feel that's kind of like drinking hot chocolate that doesn't burn but warms your soul is definitely the healing magic. He walked past that one, the seductive ice hand, and snugly fire hand. Then he felt the air tense with a singular tingling pulse that greeted him with an outstretched hand and a mischievous smile. Hope smiled back and took its hand in a prickling yet welcoming grasp. He gave it a little shake to ask for its readiness and it winked impishly at him. Electricity was a little hard to handle and wily sometimes but it packed quite the punch if he kept it in line.

Hope pulled churning energy from deep inside himself, sort of like he was straining juice from a fruit, and sent it coursing to the electricity. It let out a pleased giggle and lapped the energy up hungrily, sending static thanks and affirming signals cracking into the air from Hope's wrist. He took a deep breath then gave a hand motion to direct the lightning into the air to his target. It leapt from his wrist, eager to act with the strong energy Hope had given it-much like a child confident to go on stage after a parent's doting. Its thunders echoed down the cell block, sent heat waves through the air, and even electrified a small zone on the floor from where it had whipped down from above and lashed the ground.

Hope opened his eyes to see the last of the blue tinted lightning dissipate into the air, only leaving a tense, warm air behind. He looked to Fang, who gave him a pleased wink. "Look at you. You're faster than any other l'Cie I've ever seen. Even Vanille, and she was Pulse's best Ravager!", she praised while placing her hands on her hips, "I told you you were good kid. You've just about mastered the next level of magic. That was a great Thundara spell." Hope grinned at the praise and asked eagerly, "So what's next?"

Fang tilted her head to the side in thought, "Well, you've mastered some offensive magic already and your cures are outstanding...however, you have yet to use any synergy." "Synergy?", Hope asked, knowing he had heard her mention it before. "Yeah, it's the same type of magic your amulet is imbued with. Its a protective magic that wills barriers to shield you under tough onslaughts and make you temporarily immune to some attacks.", Fang explained, "But I was never a really good Synergist so I can't tell you how to fix that problem..."

Hope nodded and sat down, "Can we take a rest then? For all we know, The Mistress will summon me to fight some more Cie'th soon." Fang sat down next to him, "Yeah, you've been fighting for a while now huh?" Hope sighed, "I've lost count of the days... Actually, I've noticed that it never gets sunny here. How do you know how much time has passed?" Fang cocked her head in a carefree manner, "To be honest, I don't think we really cared. It was just another day under the curse. As for why it's always so dark, it's the curse. It has a hold over the premises so the sun never gets in. It's the same force that surrounded the gate when your hand changed." Hope gave a side glance to his right hand then sighed and looked downcast as the air grew thick from a lot of thinking but no talking.

"Fang...", he began then paused, "Why is The Mistress doing all of this?" Fang sighed and stretched her arms behind her neck, "Well you're just going to have to ask her. To be honest, I'm not even really sure what goes on in her head. The only thing I am sure of is that there's a lot of things brewing in there and they are all hidden well."

Hope grunted and flicked his head in agreement then continued to stare down the floor in disdain. There was a long pause in silence as Hope just sat and wondered. He was smart; he could figure that the Mistress was definitely two things.

The first was that she was the elder princess from the story. It was painfully obvious. He knew that something like the fable had actually happened in Cocoon's history and was now hating himself for not remembering what the history books had said. He vaguely remembered something about her parents dying 'in a tragic incident' and that the Cocoon royal family had been taken down completely. He gave a side look to Fang who shot him a curious look back. Something deep inside, similar to that of his magical energies but was more of a super gut feeling he started having since this whole mess began, nagged at him.

Was he doubting Fang somehow? Was she hiding something?

Hope shook his head a little and Fang asked if he was alright. He affirmed but Fang still raised an eyebrow at him. He pushed the feeling to the back of his mind, feeling guilty he thought of one of his only friends that way, and began to reflect on the Mistress again.

She was the elder princess...which means that she really did do all of those horrible things out of spite. She was an Undying Cie'th after all, she hates everything. It's rather clear. After what she's done to him-being tortured, destroying his freedom, future, and family, killing hordes of her own Cie'th-and the Maker knows what else she's done and how many other lives she has ruined-it's definitely clear.

He had a looming hatred for her since the beginning but... there seemed to be another one of those gut feelings that left one crazy notion in his head. One that made Hope want to smack his head into the wall just so he could possibly forget it.

But there was no denying that she did allow him to see his dad and has been going easier on him as time went on, even allowing Fang to come to train and visit him. Fang had said that she is friendly with the Mistress and that Vanille was too.

So was there something about her that could be different? Almost... good?

And that was the second thing he absolutely knew about her. She was extremely mysterious and confusing.

And Hope couldn't deny that he somehow-albeit he knew it was insane-was interested in her. Sure, he hadn't really met her and it was blind curiosity but she was something he had never even read about or imagined or thought existed... she was something else.

His eyes lit up. Come to think of it... he didn't even know her name. He grinned as he looked up at Fang, "Hey, do you.. happen to know the Mistress' name?"

"That's right Fang. What is my name?", an eerily familiar cold and stern female voice rang out from the other side of the bars.

Hope looked up. Was it really? His eyes were too busy being bright that they didn't even think about the looming hatred. Now that took everyone by surprise.

Fang chortled a little under her breath. The Mistress' glowing eyes lowered in bewilderment for a second then raised back to its regular emotionless stare again. Hope blinked and he fumbled to an incredulous look to cover his excitement.

"What brings you to these cells hrm?", Fang asked, leaning back into the wall, relaxed and trying to break the ice. "I'll tell you once you answer his question.", Hope felt the Mistress' near growl even though he couldn't see anything other than her eyes.

And man were those eyes something else.

Such a pretty crystal blue, they seemed to be glittering jewels fashioned by the Maker itself. He couldn't help but stare, they were that pretty and hypnotizing, knowing he was getting lost in them but not really caring. Heck, he even missed the words in Fang and The Mistress' exchange.

Fang knocked Hope's shoulder a bit, pulling his gaze and consciousness back from the mesmerizing blue eyes. "I'll tell him your name after you let him see you, right Hope?", Fang winked at him, obviously noting his gaping. Hope nodded in almost dazed excitement and turned back to The Mistress. "Yeah... step into the light.", he murmured, keeping still to shadow his eagerness.

The Mistress exhaled, the connotation was mysterious but that was a given with her. And then she stepped into the light.

You'd think she'd be some unspeakable and hideous monster right? Hope thought that too.

Well, that was wrong. Horribly wrong. Shame on you wrong.

The woman before Hope was beautiful. There was not one thing about her that seemed monstrous. She didn't even have one shard of crystal on her!

No, this woman was gorgeous. Simply put. She had slightly curling, breezy dirty-pink hair that cascaded down one side of her neck and onto her shoulder. Her face was strong and definite but still feminine. She had paler skin, probably from staying in the castle though, as it also showed that it was rough from combats and just time in general. Speaking of combat, that defines in general what she was wearing. Combat ready sleeveless turtleneck with a tough vest over it, leather skirt, tall boots, rough gloves, a large black holster attached to her belt that held some sort of blade in it, and even some armor on one shoulder and a dark red cape cascading from it. Even the way she held her emotion and stance read battle readiness and power.

Hope blinked. Hard. And quite a few times.

The Mistress gave him a condescending glare and crossed her arms over her chest. Fang lightly punched the gaping boy's shoulder to snap him out of it. He shook his head as The Mistress said, "You wanted to know my name right?" Hope nodded robotically, still in shock. She exhaled and continued the condescending look, "Tell him Fang." Fang nodded mischievously and the word was emphasized.

"Lightning."

Hope blinked. Yep, it fit. He liked it.

He shook his head, did he really think that just now? He fumbled awkwardly to the words, "Uh-well... nice to meet you Miss Lightning." She raised an eyebrow at him then looked away and snorted again. Hope forced his eyes on the ground so he didn't continue to stare. "Well then Lightning, you were going to tell us what brings you here?", Fang broke the silence with an amused tone.

Lightning looked down on Hope who looked up to meet the gaze. This time he controlled himself enough to listen to what she had said. "You're Hope Estheim right?", she flicked her head at him. Hope nodded confirmation without taking his eyes off her. "I'm inviting you to come sit with me in the ballroom for the next battle."

His eyes flashed in bewilderment, "Don't I have to fight?" "No.", she almost talked over him, "You're going to watch a fight." Hope hesitated, pulling his eyes away and murmuring, "I don't want to." Lightning raised an eyebrow and shot him an icy look. Fang got up and pulled Hope up by the arm with her, "You have to kid. Remember? She's your master, it's your Focus."

Hope frowned. He had forgotten about that. And pretty much everything else when he saw her. But now he remembered. Looming hatred restored.

"Fine.", his voice was laced with spite. Fang gathered up his chains but as soon as she made it to the jail door, Lightning snatched them from her. Fang shot Lightning a look but Lightning turned away. She tromped off without a pause, yanking Hope along with her. He hissed under his breath and Fang shot him a look he didn't quite understand. He opened his mouth to ask her but he was yanked hard again and fell backwards onto the floor.

Lightning stood over him with his head at her feet, stabbing him with irritated eye daggers. He gulped hard, so much so that you could see his throat pulse and the heavy breath he let out move up, and his green eyes momentarily flashed a sense of fear. She huffed and impatiently looked to her side again as he quickly shuffled up to his feet and looked at the floor to avoid eye contact.

Lightning gave his chains a firm tug as if saying 'Hurry up kid' then turned and continued onward to the stairs. Her pace was quick and spoke volumes about how much she cared whether or not Hope kept up or if he got lost or dragged. He half-jogged forward to avoid that, keeping his eyes to the ground. She would occasionally look over her shoulder to check him but he didn't meet this look.

At one point, she turned the corner quick and Hope's chains caught the edge, causing him to tumble forward and cause a loud rattling. As he regained composure, he looked up to see Lightning with a hand on her hip and giving him a deprecating glare. He expected her foot to tap but she was in control, even of her irritation. Then why did she look at him that way? It made fire boil inside him.

No, he'd let it go for now. Something he had learned after his mother died was that he needed to keep his emotions in check. If he showed anything to his dad, maybe he would think poorly of him or even blow up at him. A good deduction, Hope decided after his confrontation with his dad. The fire steamed his insides and he tightened his fist to quiet it. Yes, he did realize he had feared his father and now he hated him. However, if he didn't stay in control, then more than his hand would become a disaster.

His lip raised a little at this realization and he made one thing clear. His relationship with his dad was damaged, more so than it silently had been. And he didn't feel like fixing it. He had Fang and Serah. Serah had been missing as of late but he was sure he'd see her again. She promised too.

He turned his pinky finger in between an index finger and thumb. He sure did put a lot of faith in promises and thought. But he had to hang onto something. To be strong, to survive, and to achieve the impossible.

He smiled with a raised lip, lowered eyebrows, and clouded eyes under wispy, hanging bangs.

He had to remain hopeful.


	14. Chapter 14

Hope remained obediently still as his chains were attached to a column near his seat next to Lightning. He stared at his feet, avoiding eye contact with the whispering Cie'th crowd that was eyeing him. Lightning snorted at the self-effacing boy then relaxed into her seat. They had a nice view of the ballroom battleground from one of the raised overhangs.

Hope watched it like a memory, thinking about all of his own battles. So this is what Lightning saw huh? What did she think about his fights? He rolled his pupil to the edge of his eyeball to glance at her without catching her attention. However, she turned to him as well and Hope quickly turned back in surprise. She's really perceptive.

Hope looked up as a scratching sound he recognized as the ballroom door opening rang out into the hall. He watched as someone was shoved through the door much like he usually was, then the door slammed shut. Hope nearly jumped out of his seat as Lightning yelled next to him, "We have a challenger for our defending Cie'th champion." Hope watched as a huge shambling Cie'th walked out from the opposing corner.

He gulped. That Cie'th was really huge. From the look of it, it must have been 9 feet tall and how much strength is in those over-sized crystal limbs could probably kill someone with one precise blow.

Hope looked to see who this challenger was. His eyes glazed over and he was shocked still as the Cie'th cheered around him. Lightning was the only other one frozen in time as she observed the boy's reaction.

Which was emotionless and full of emotion as Hope watched his father stumble into the light.

Hope blinked hard and remained still, the only stoic figure in the disruptive crowd. Lightning snit under her breath and then declared, "Begin."

Hope's eyes flared as the huge Cie'th charged forward. Hope's dad barely dodged to the right then received a smack across the side as the Cie'th swiftly parried. Hope's dad swung his fist out in a punch but yelped as it hit the hard crystal and scratched himself.

His face elevated from frozen shock to burning frenzy as his father was thrown in a pillar. He turned to Lightning and urged, "Stop this!" She gave him a side glance and replied, "It's too late now." He shook his head for a second and shouted at her, "Why did you make him do this?" She didn't look up, continuing to observe the battle, "Your father agreed to it." He rushed in surprise, "Why did he do that?"

She looked at him as she said, "He wanted to have me free you if he won." "What? But...", He murmured in surprise. She scoffed, "He cares about you Hope. Whether you believe it or not."

Hope looked away from her as he processed that. He gave a side glance to his dad, whom he saw was getting beaten to a pulp. He bit his lip and looked at his chains. He listened to his dad yell and the simmering feelings inside began to boil out.

He snapped and frantically began to pull on the chains in a futile attempt to free himself. Lightning glanced at him indifferently and huffed in exasperation, "He has to fight it alone kid." He looked up at her as he pulled harder on the unwavering chains, "He's getting beaten! Let me help him!" He reigned in a strong tug as Lightning snit, "That's why you are chained up here." His eyes widened at her as she continued, "I'm not allowing you to." He froze in horror at her and she looked back down at the battle, "Remember, never have mercy on your target."

He snarled in rage and grabbed her arm. She stared back at him without expression. He shouted, "That's my father! Not some target!" She didn't flinch at his rabid actions, "My Cie'th were targets." Hope's wrist crackled with emerging embers, "Why are you doing this?" She sighed and snapped her arm back, not dignifying him with an answer. He bared his teeth at her and then looked in fright at his father. His eyes widened again as he watched his dad get smacked to the ground in a bloody mess.

He had to think of something to help his dad and fast. He pulled energy from inside himself and quickly cast whatever he could over to the scene. The surging spell was one of fire and it landed on the immense Cie'th's head. The Cie'th shrieked in surprise, backing away from Hope's dad and shaking the flames off. Hope took the opportunity to cast a few Cure spells on his dad to give him the strength to get back up again. His dad did, looking around in surprise, trying to locate the person who helped him no doubt. Hope let out a a breath in relief then sucked one in as a Blizzard spell from the Cie'th froze his father's feet. Hope raised his hand to cast again when Lightning snatched his hand mid-air.

He glared at her and snapped, "Let me go!" He tried to pull his hand free as she said, "He has to fight it on his own. If you don't follow my will..." He screeched as she yanked off his glove and crushed his fragile, crystal hand in her powerful fist. The hand began to swell and he screamed as crystal began to ripple from underneath and emerge from it again. She gave a stone hard look at the struggling child then dropped his hand and threw his glove back to him carelessly.

He recoiled his pulsing hand back and watched in shock as the emerging crystals slowed to a halt but left an uneven, rocky surface on his skin once again. He tried to shove his glove back on to hide it, but it wouldn't go back on. He spat as he shoved the glove into his pocket and looked back at his dad.

His father was cowering on the floor with the towering Cie'th standing over him, arm raised to deliver the final blow.

Hope glanced at his hand and then Lightning. He'd be hurt but he needed to help his dad. He needed to help and protect him, even if he hated him. He owed it to his dad. He shook his head then, as if acting on its own whim, his hand shot out and cast a strange new magic. The magic created a green protective shell around Hope's dad just as the Cie'th's fist came down. The Cie'th and Hope shrieked in unison as the Cie'th's fist slammed into the hard barrier that instantly disappeared after the impact and crystals shot out of Hope's hand from his disobedient action. Lightning's lip curled as she gave Hope a dark look and he cradled his mutating hand, not even realizing he had just cast his first synergy spell.

Hope looked up again, still cradling his hand, to see the Cie'th charging at his dad again. He bit his lip to brace himself as he cast another defensive synergy spell, this one slightly different with a purple hue instead of green. The Cie'th cast another Blizzard spell but it was deflected by the purple shield. Hope screamed again as more crystals shot up like weeds on his hand, beginning to weigh down and make him slouch over a little. Lightning's nose twitched at the loud noise but she didn't make a move from her position and continued to analyze the battle.

The Cie'th was beginning to tire, its movements tottering and sluggish. Hope's dad was also worn but he continued to dodge as proficiently as possible. Hope wasn't watching, too busy wincing at the pain of his hand's mutations and scared to open his eyes and see what was happening.

He finally opened them when he heard a yell come from his dad and a shattering of the stained glass. He saw his dad fall to the ground with shattered glass amongst him, a tell tale sign that his dad had been smashed into the windows. The Cie'th was closing in again and Hope raised his shaky hand a third time, releasing another synergy spell. The spell floated like a sheet down to Hope's dad and created an evanescent veil in front of him. The Cie'th's jab attack was slowed and softened through it and Hope's dad was able to use the time to scurry away.

Hope let out a cry and his eyes began to well up as the crystals spiked through his flesh and tore through his nerves. Lightning looked at the writhing boy then raised her hand up and shouted, "Stop the battle." The two combatants froze and looked up in surprise. Lightning gave a hesitant look at Hope then continued, "The battle is over. A victor has been decided." Everyone hung in suspense as she paused.

"Victory goes to the challenger."

Everyone was surprised, some in stunned silence, others booing. Lightning got up and undid Hope's chains, taking them in her hands. She walked up to him and gave him a side glance as if saying 'Follow me'. Hope's face crumpled as he followed after her with malice, still clutching his beating hand.

The crowds of Cie'th began to split along with them, Hope and Lightning trudging through the bustling crowd. Hope didn't look up, holding his head down and avoiding eye contact. Lightning took him to the ballroom door and they went inside. Hope's dad was there, his chains being held by the same Cie'th he had been fighting not too long ago. He tried to jump forward and called out to Hope but Hope didn't give anything away, hanging his head so that his bangs covered his eyes.

Lightning watched as Hope's father gave up calling to Hope and Hope remained unresponsive, his expression hidden from everyone. She sighed then said, "The winner gets his wish now." Hope's father openly smiled, "Thank you Mistress." Lightning snorted, "Not you." Hope's father became visibly confused and Hope didn't move even though Lightning looked down at him expectantly.

"The victor was Hope.", she revealed with a sharp tongue.

Hope still didn't move. Lightning eyes narrowed in disappointment and Hope's father said, "What? He wasn't even fighting!" "He-", Lightning began until Hope spoke over her. "I was.", Hope didn't look up, his tone giving his stoic stance a chilling overtone. The air grew thick as Hope spoke, "I have been, this entire time."

Hope began to walk forward to his father, "I fought disease to prevent Mom from leaving and subsequently dying." Hope's chains rattled with every muted, eerie footstep, "I fought tears to help you make it through the worst times." Hope's father's eyes widened, "I fought my fear of you as my world changed and I hid behind smiles." Lightning cautiously watched, "I fought my master to save your life." The large Cie'th seemed to be staring down in guilt, "I fought Cie'th for the Maker knows how long." Hope remained even, like a serial killer walking indifferently towards their next victim, "I fought my Focus because it kept me away from everything important to me." He let go of his Cie'th hand and let it hang down and make his stance creepily crooked, "I fought my hand because it told me not to help you." Hope's dad opened his mouth but Hope got louder, "I fought myself because I didn't want to ruin someone else like I had been." He stopped still a foot away from his dad, "I fought you because you didn't understand why I was fighting."

Hope's head raised a little, giving his father view of his face. It was dirty, bloody, tear stained, and hardened. His silver bangs hung and cast a slight shadow that highlighted his dark mood. His lips were pallid and still as death. His deep emerald eyes were emotionless, empty holes that reflected his father like judgmental mirrors. He didn't move or make a noise, that being enough to speak volumes. His father was stunned silent, not able to ascertain what was going on, who this stranger was, and where Hope had gone.

Lightning's eyes narrowed in knowing. She broke the seething silence, "What is your prize Hope?" He looked down on his father with the same bone-chilling, memorial detachment that held the slightest twinge of enmity and deep thought. His bloodless lips parted through the dense ambience but he was too involved with decision to notice. His father bowed his head, as if asking for silent repentance and mercy. Hope's nose twitched at the vain act and Lightning's face slightly drooped. "Your answer Hope.", she demanded.

"Release him.", Hope's head flicked to acknowledge his father.

His father protested, "No! Hope! You-" Hope's eyes narrowed in a death glare and Lightning spoke on his behalf, "There is no going back on promises. I promised to fulfill the wish of the victor." Hope's eyes continued to harden as he listened to his father plead and Lightning answer curtly back. His father's chains were released and he charged forward and roughly grabbed Hope who remained still, "I'm not leaving without my son!" "I can't.", Hope replied coldly and shoved his father away. His father stepped back and took a stand, "You have so much to live for and-"

"You're right. I do.", Hope looked at his father, glistening with courage and strength, "But I made promises."

Lightning blinked in surprise and she watched Hope with disturbed eyes, "And to keep them, I need to stay here." He continued, "But I want you to go and be safe. And I'll come back when I'm done. I promise." Hope raised his gloved pinky. His father looked down on it then added his own pinky, murmuring Hope's name and something else that was inaudible. Hope dropped his finger and his dad grabbed his shoulder to get his attention, "There's something I have to tell you first."

Hope opened his mouth but Lightning spoke over them, "That's enough." The large Cie'th behind Hope's dad immediately charged forward, snatched him up, then sped to the door. "Wait! Hope!", his dad called back as he tried to struggle out of the strong hold. Hope raised a hand slightly but then lowered it lamely in defeat as they disappeared behind the door. Hope's face lowered again as he spoke and Lightning analyzed the boy with thoughtful and almost reminiscent eyes.

"Good bye.", a farewell that was addressed to the many things, even the unspoken ones, that were let go that night.


	15. Chapter 15

"Hope...", Lightning murmured, swallowing hard and breaking the long silence. He looked up at her, his face still hard but not completely hostile, "Yeah?" "I'm moving you out of the cells.", she turned back to the doors, still holding Hope's chains. He cocked his head slightly, "Why?" "It's fine with me if you like it down there.", she shrugged slightly. He pouted, "Do not..."

She led him to a tower, going the opposite way of the cells. Cie'th bowed their heads respectfully as they passed, Hope instinctively lowering his head back. Lightning snorted under her breath. She was fast but he jogged forward to keep to her side.

"Uh... the castle is pretty big.", he tried to initiate a friendly conversation. "I guess.", she curtly mumbled back. He looked from side to side, admiring the halls, "They aren't many decorations around here." "Why spend money on useless decoration when you can use it to invest in worth while equipment?", she replied. "Right...", he murmured lamely.

A silence took up the space again. Hope stared awkwardly down at his feet, trying to think of something to say to her. He looked to his left and saw a grand hallway that seemed to be completely encrusted by crystal stalagmites and had an eerie aura to it that seemed like it was something important.

"There's a lot of crystal around here. It's part of the curse right?", he looked out a window and gazed at the enormous, glowing, blue crystal spires outside. "Yeah, I hope they don't crack any time soon. The castle is damaged enough.", she slightly spat. "Yeah, I wouldn't want to be around those for very long...", he added. "Too bad. You won't like your room.", she snorted as she stopped in front of a double door.

He cocked his head to the side a little as she pushed the doors open. The room before him had a large, curtained, French-style window with a spectacular view of the multi-colored crystal spires curling up and reaching for the crescent moonlit sky like whimsical giant wildflowers. Silver moonlight was tinted green, blue, purple, and even a little yellow and pink as they filtered through the glittering, icy crystals and cast an luminous rainbow over the room, giving it a magical air. There were some books lined up on a shelf, a well kept and nicely sized bed, a bedside table with a lamp, a high ceiling with tiny twinkly star garlands strung on it, a fluffy carpet over white marble, a little table with two French-style chairs and a delicate tea set, a cushy love seat with a plush kitty on it and a floor lamp next to it, and some treasure boxes on a armoire with a mirror.

"Wow...", Hope gaped as he walked forward to explore. Lightning said, "Like it?" He nodded wildly as wandered to the book shelf like a kid to a candy store window. "You can stay here then.", she said. He turned and faced her, "Really?" She nodded, "Just don't break anything and keep it in the same shape you found it in." He nodded in glee, "I promise!" Lightning snorted and a ghost of a smug smirk appeared on her lips for a second but she pushed it off the next.

Hope was reaching for one of the books when his stomach rumbled so loud crystals quivered. He froze and quickly excused himself in hot embarrassment. Did it really have to happen now? With Lightning around? Lightning shot him a look, "Hungry kid?" He tried to laugh to hide his shaky-with-humiliation voice, "I guess so..." "I'll get Fang to bring you food and fix your hand again. You rest here.", Lightning went to the door, "You're going to be busy again tomorrow."

Oh, so that's the catch. Hope's eyebrow twitched. "See you later.", she was about to close the door when he said, "Wait." She lingered in the doorway as he stared down at his feet and murmured, "Thanks..." She gave him a long look then closed the door. She stood on the other side of the closed door for a second then chuckled under her breath.

Hope, seeing that she was gone and the coast seemed clear, kicked his shoes off and flomped down on to the bed. It was much softer than it looked, and it looked like a piece of heaven... so much better than the jail cell mortar floor. He exhaled in bliss and snuggled into the pillow. He'd explore that's for sure... but right now, he only wanted to explore the inside of his eyelids. He slowly lulled in and out of conscious.

"Hi there. You awake?"

He murmured a faint response and fluttered his eyes open. He raised his head a little as he saw a hazy figure leaning in on him. "Hi again Hope!", the girl greeted with a sugar sweet smile. "Serah!", Hope blinked awake when he recognized the endearing girl and sat up, "Where have you been?" "I can't stay for very long down there. It's too hard.", Serah said then she smiled openly, "But now that you're here, I can see you more often." Hope smiled back, "That's good." Then he blinked, "...Is that why Lightning moved me?" She shook her head, "No. She doesn't know about me."

He cocked his head, "Why is that?" She sat down next to him and swung her feet back and forth over the floor, "She can't see me that's all." He looked to his side a little, "You would mind if I asked you something?" She leaned in and examined his face, "No. What?" His eyes met her sparkling light blue ones, "Well... just what are you Serah?"

"Well... I think I'm a spirit.", she said, looking at him from below in an attempt to raise his eyes up along with hers, "I'm not sure if I'm alive or dead. All I know is that I'm stuck. And like I said before, I'm hanging around you." He kept with her gaze, "I'll make sure to tell you more stories then. And if I can, I'll find a way to free you."

She smiled, "Promise right?" She held her ethereal pinky up to his nose, so close that Hope had to cross his eyes to see it. He whispered, "Heh, you saw me make all these promises and wanted in on it too huh?" She nodded her head, "I'll sing to ratify it." He smiled, "Okay then. I promise." He 'wrapped' his pinky around hers like he would an imaginary friend, "Go ahead."

She got up from the bed and went to the armoire. Puzzled, he followed her and looked over her shoulder as she rummaged through it. He watched as she pulled out a little disc and flung it into the air. He watched in awe as it suspended and began to shine bright and a bunch of magical beings popped out.

They floated in the air elegantly and waves of magic floated like water with no gravity. One of the beings was a beautiful, blue haired, almost sprite-like woman with a dress that seemed to be made of blue and white feathers but was part of her body and she had large, angelic wings. She hovered alongside a grand harp, placing her hands along the strings gracefully. Another was an orange woman, with similar garb but she bounced from side to side and held a tambourine. A third was green and she sat in front of a piano. The last two were pink and purple, holding string violins in their hands as they levitated in the air. Among all of the women were floating animals that looked like cocker spaniel puppies with angel wings instead of ears and wore lavish clothes.

They all hung still in the air and Hope looked to Serah, "What is this?" "It's a magic music disc.", she said, "There are a bunch of these in the castle. They were used all of the time during parties here." He nodded, still in wide eyed awe as he gaped at the amazing scene.

Serah instructed, "I'm going to sing now. Ready?" All of the magical beings nodded. The green one began to press keys on the piano, letting out a whimsical and high spirited melody. The orange one joined in soon after, adding a quick and lively beat to it. The puppies began to flounce around in the air, flying and dancing all at once along with the song. After a short prelude, the beat picked up, the piano quieted, and the violins and harp took center stage. They hummed a joyful and upbeat aria and the puppies twirled along with each change of the note. Soon the violins quieted and a clear and soft voice rang out.

"_Step into the rainbow,"_, Hope looked next to him at Serah who closed her eyes as she sang, _"Find another view." "Chase the tender light,"_, she clasped her hands together as if in prayer, _"Borders let's cross over." "Ready to define the mists inside your heart."_, The puppies made a circle around her and Hope and the ladies smiled as they watched the girl. _"Take a breath and start your life.", _Serah held the last note and raised her arms to give her all.

One of the puppies grabbed Hope's hand and another pushed him so that he would go forward into the colorful moonlight, _"Waves of a new day." _Serah smiled brightly as she rang out with her entire spirit, _"Clear all the gloom away." _She looked at Hope expectantly and he looked back, _"Hope is what we simply need to proceed." _

When she finished holding the note, the piano took over with a wistful and happy solo allowing Serah to go to Hope. The puppies pushed Hope forward again and he chuckled nervously. Serah smiled and took his hand. She led him into twirling her around, and she danced along with the puppies around him. Hope was still in awe as she lifted her leg high into the air in a ballerina style pose then lowered it and pulled him into a circle with her. He was slightly pink and she smiled at his shy and amazed demeanor.

The piano died down again and Serah continued to sing while prancing around Hope, _"Waves of a new day." _She nodded expectantly and he got the hint to twirl her, _"Clear all the gloom away." _She delicately swung in and then out as she held the last note, _"Hope is what we simply need to proceed." _The ladies and puppies continued to play and pirouette as Serah led Hope into a simple step-step-twirl circle dance. He followed along, occasionally messing up and quickly apologizing. Serah would just reply "It's fine!" with her usual honey smile. The rainbow moonlight and picturesque setting made the entire thing like a fairy tale dream.

The fairy song became distant and was fading out slowly, the puppies and Serah slowing along with it. Serah's voice was a tad quieter along with it, _"Waves of a new day." _The puppies seemed to wave as they dissipated back into the disc and the women slowly disintegrated as completely disappeared and the disc's glow began to dim and it slowly lowered to the floor along with the last notes of the music, _"Clear all the gloom away."_ Serah's voice echoed alone and closed out the dance along with the dying notes of the song. She looked into Hope's eyes, _"Hope is what we simply need to proceed." _

She began to fade away as well, turning into the floating, shimmering dust again. Hope smiled and said, "I'll see you later right?" She nodded, "Of course." She held her hand out and flicked her eyes from Hope to it as it began to evaporate. Hope blinked as he got the hint and quickly fumbled to air kiss her already half gone hand, "Right. I promise." She smiled and curtsied as she faded completely away leaving her voice behind only, "Until then. Good bye."

Hope dreamily floated to his bed again, the song still resonating into his head. He lowly hummed along with the tune as he pressed the side of his face into the pillow. Did that really just happen or was he dreaming? It was so surreal... his thoughts faded as the divine aria took over and lead him into blissful sleep.

The door slowly creaked open. "Hope?", Fang's voice echoed into the room. She walked through the ajar door and saw him fast asleep on the bed, "You awake?" No answer. She placed a tray down on the table and went to his side. She heard a low hum of rhythmic, sleepy breathing and saw Hope curled up with his eyes closed. She'd seen it before, the poor kid was tired and asleep. But there was something about him that was joyful and happy today, even after that battle with his dad.

"Huh.", she mumbled. She watched as he shivered slightly, puling his limbs in closer. She chuckled under her breath and pulled the blankets up and over the sleeping boy. "Night kid.", she whispered. She left the bedside and headed for the door again. A clink came from beneath her feet as she took a step. She looked down and picked up the shiny disc, holding it into the light curiously. "Huh.", she mumbled again. She placed it on the table next to the tray and walked out, carefully closing the door behind her.

Lightning was in her room, sitting at a table, anchoring her cheek in the palm of her hand. In her other hand she held a glowing blue crystal that slowly faded from being lit to a regular gem. Her eyes were hard and full of pondering, and she delicately placed the gem down on the table. "It's not possible...", she murmured incredulously over and over. She got up and tromped across her room to a dark corner. She placed her hand on an almost invisible magical barrier and a stunningly bright blue light shone out from behind it as it began to disintegrate. "Hope...", she whispered as she delicately touched the thing that was giving off the light, "He just might be what we need."


	16. Chapter 16

Serah's song reminded Hope of something. It was something familiar, like he had known about it before but had forgotten it in a sea of memories and confusing feelings. It was a song, not Serah's but something melancholy and reminiscent, played out on a lonely guitar. He could faintly hear it, and it made him sleepy like a lullaby. It seemed like somebody was playing it next to his bed and he decided it would be best to check.

He half opened his eyes and checked the scene. The song had instantaneously disappeared when he woke up and there was no one there. He slid up from under the sheets and ran a hand through his hair. He blinked as he realized that he was no longer in the cells and why the hand he wasn't using was heavy and monstrous. It took him a minute to remember all that was said and all that had happened. Lightning had told him that he would be busy again today right... yeah.

He got up, saw his shoes, picked them up, and sat down on the chair next to the table. He was putting his shoes on when he noticed the tray next to him. When did that get there..? He saw food on it and decided Fang had come. He also saw the disc next to it.

He slipped his second shoe on then picked up the disc, holding it into the light. It shone rainbow colors and Hope began to wonder... How did Serah know where to find that disc? How did she know the song? She had said it was easier to get here... why is that...

He got up from his chair and went to the armoire. He opened it and examined its contents. More discs, fancy dresses, girly shoes, furry and pink things... He put the disc down among the others and opened the boxes. They were filled with sparkly trinkets and jewelry. There was a note inside one and he curiously picked it up. He looked around to make sure the coast was clear, then unfurled it carefully and read what it said inside:

_Dear Serah, _

_Baby, I can't take this anymore. After what you told me the last time we saw each other, I can't just sit here and wait around when you could run out of time. There's still some hope... the legends say that l'Cie who fulfill their focus turn to crystal and gain eternal life. I know you don't know what your Focus is, but I'm not about to let you become one of those monsters either. Let me help you. We'll figure this thing out together. You will never be one of those monsters. I need to talk to you Serah. I'm coming to the castle tomorrow. I wonder what your sister will say... but don't worry about her. I'll take the blame if she gets too mad. If Lightning loves you like you says she does, then we can tell her everything together. She'll still love you-just like I do. I will stand by you, no matter what happens. Serah, you're my one. My only._

_I'm yours forever._

_Snow_

Hope's fingers slowly uncurled with shock and the paper drifted to the floor. Is that true? The paper flipped in the air then landed near his feet like a feather. Did Serah... lie to him?

He blinked and scrambled to pick the paper up. He re-read it over and over again, to make sure he didn't read it wrong-or rather, hoping he had. But it still had the same message inside.

The truth.

He rummaged through the treasure boxes again. This time, he found a picture that had Serah and Lightning in it together, both looking regal like the princesses they were, Lightning's hand on Serah's shoulder affectionately and protectively, Serah smiling so bright it would blind sunshine on a summer day. Serah... Serah Farron, the younger princess of the kingdom of Cocoon. It's not possible... because that would mean...

She lied. She lied, she lied, she lied.

Hope screamed, he would make her hear, "SERAH!" No answer. "Answer me Serah!", he yelled again. No answer. He ran across the room, "Why did you lie to me Serah?"

"I didn't."

Hope turned, clenching his fists to hold himself back. Sure enough, the spirit of Serah stood before him, looking downcast and ashamed. "Serah...", his voice was a little shaky with his repressed rage, "Why did you lie to me?" she repeated, "I didn't lie to you. I wouldn't lie to you."

"You said that Lightning didn't know about you. But in reality, she's your sister!", he was in danger of boiling over with the last sentence. She shook her head, "No, she doesn't know that I'm here. She can't see me anymore." "And you... you're a l'Cie!", he almost spat as he held out the paper at her. She nodded, looking somberly at the paper she knew well, "I am." "But you aren't a Cie'th... and you're here...", he tried to figure out everything as he spoke, "You're... you have to be..."

"I am here. But I'm not in this room."

Hope ran up to her and wanted to shake her, but his hands moved air, "What do you mean by that?" Serah looked down, ashamed at herself and uncertain about his state, "You have to believe me." "And what if I don't?", he stared her down with cold eyes. Serah's eyes watered and she could barely open her mouth to speak.

She screamed with little control, "Then you're just as horrible as my sister!"

She whipped away, passing through the door because of her ghost property and out of the room. "Wait, Serah!", he yelled, running after her. He ran down the hallway, avoiding any Cie'th on his way. He saw Serah hysterically crying as she ran, passing through any obstacle with no resistance. She was far ahead for that reason and he looked like he was insane by the way he was running, keeping his eyes ahead to keep sight of her and running towards something that was non-existent.

He watched as Serah turned and ran in a different direction, down another hallway. He skidded to catch up to her, finding himself at the mouth of the same over-crystallized and eerie hallway he had seen before. He stopped in fright as he heard screeches and scuffles from down it but noticed Serah was disappearing from sight and ran forward anyway, keeping his eyes on her to avoid eye contact with anything that could be lurking around. He watched as she melted through something dark and kicked it into overdrive, nearly running into the door he found himself to be at.

The crystals were dim and Hope had to feel around to find hold of the doorknob. He pushed the heavy door open and found himself in a large room. It was incredibly dark and he had to continue to feel around until his eyes adjusted a bit more. There were no sounds other than the echoes of the bustling castle and the chains dragging alongside him. "Serah?", he called out, trying to make out any faint movements, "Serah?..."

He reached out in all directions and found himself to be next to a wall. He could tell by touch that something made of fabric was ripped and he could see that there was something shining gold underneath it. It was too dark to see so all he could make out was '...ai..e Far...n'.

He fumbled around until he gasped when his knee collided with the edge of something. He felt around and found it to be a smooth and round surface, probably a table or stand of some sort. Something tinkled like glass and he felt the surface to locate the source of the sound. His hand knocked something aside again and he heard it roll along with the same pinging. He quickly snatched it up, from what he could tell from hearing it again it sounded like it was delicate and made of glass, and the feel of it backed that up. He ran his fingers down along the surface and was able to tell it was a stone or crystal of some sort and he held it close to his eyes so he could see it. It was shaped like a tear drop and was a light blue that had a little bit of a luminous tinge to it.

"Hope...", Serah whispered like she was close by but he couldn't see her. "Serah? Serah where are you?", he strained his eyes to see her, narrowing even more. "Say that you are sorry.", Serah murmured, and the sound resonated in his hands. Hope swallowed hard and stated, being absolutely genuine, "I'm sorry Serah. I really am." She added with the same thoughtful, almost dicey tone, "Say that you wish to see me." "Alright... Serah, please let me see you.", Hope said, looking in the direction of Serah's voice, which was now farther away from him.

The jewel in Hope's hand began to shine and he jumped in fright, quickly putting it down on the table. It was rumbling a little bit and something from Serah's voice's direction began to shine out into the room. Hope shielded his eyes from the change of dark to blinding light, slightly afraid of what was happening. "Serah?", Hope shouted frantically, straining to see. "It's okay Hope.", Serah said from right in front of him. The light dimmed and Hope blinked to behold the settled spectacle. Serah stood before him and she took his hand and tilted her head to point, "Come here." He nodded obediently as she lead him forward to the source of the light.

Hope blinked in awe, "Is that..." "Yes. That's me.", Serah said from next to him, observing image solemnly.

The thing before Hope was a crystallized Serah. She was completely encrusted by light blue crystals but still held a human shape. Her eyes were closed like she was asleep and her hands were out in front of her almost like she was about to fold her hands in front of her heart to pray. Crystals floated amongst her and jutted out of her back to form almost a crystal cocoon around her.

"You... completed your Focus then.", Hope said, turning to the spirit Serah next to him. "Yes. But I still don't understand what it was.", she said, keeping her eyes on herself, asking herself. Hope stared at her, having the same serious interrogative look , "How did you end up a l'Cie?" Serah avoided eye contact and reached out to touch her own hand, "Well, I-", she was about to answer when her spirit hand disintegrated into her crystal one. She blinked in surprise as she unexpectedly and rapidly dissipated into it.

"Wait! Serah!", Hope called out, trying to grab her disappearing spirit hand to pull her back. The wave of crystal dust that was her hand sifted through his fingers and returned to the crystal Serah, which began to shine again. Hope shielded his eyes again, but let one hand wander out to touch Serah's crystal hand, "Wa-"

BAM! The next thing Hope knew he was sideways on the floor. He shook his dizzy head and looked up, his predictable deer-in-the-headlights look manifested again. Lightning stood over him, her face cold and merciless. "What do you think you are doing?", she asked with a fiery and slightly bewildered tone, her composure degenerating with each word.

"I-Serah, sh-", Hope muttered in fright but screeched to a halt as Lightning swung out a blade from the holster on her back and raised it over his head. "How do you know about her?", Lightning demanded, almost snarling at him like she was the tiger and he was the prey. "She told me!", Hope cowered away, fear flaring up in his pupils. Lightning growled and tightened her steel grip, "Don't lie to me!" "I'm not lying! I can see her!", Hope begged, trying fruitlessly to get her to back off. "Why should I believe a kid like you?", Lightning pushed the blade close to Hope and his chest pounded in and out quick with alarm.

"Because... because I'm just as horrible as you."

Lightning blinked in surprise and her blade faltered a little, "What did you just say?" Hope got up a little bit, slowly defying her saber, "I'm just as horrible as you." Lightning looked down on him with slight shock and froze with a look similar to his on her face. Hope continued, swallowing his jittering apprehension, "Serah said that." Lightning just looked down at him, trying to remain indifferent but something was leaking out of her that was regret tinged with sadness and shock.

Hope reached into his pocket and pulled out the paper letter, holding it out to Lightning, "I found this in my room. That was Serah's room wasn't it?" Lightning snatched it from his moderately quivering hand, making him recoil a little bit again at her compulsion. She quickly looked over the words on the paper as he said, "She sung a song for me too. I-" "It's not possible.", Lightning muttered with a shaky tone, strangling the paper in her fist. Hope swallowed hard, the crinkling of the paper screaming in his ears, "What?"

"Stop messing with me.", she threw the paper aside and pointed her blade at him again. "I swear Lightning I'm-", he began but her words garroted his throat, "I'm tired of your games kid! Serah couldn't have sung for you, she's gone!" He protested, determined to convince her even if her blade was an inch from his chest, "No she isn't!" She swiftly kicked him over at that, sending him rolling into a nearby table and his head knocking into the leg, "She's dead!" "No-!", he outcried again trying to get up but Lightning swiftly punched him across the cheek and his gut plowed into the edge of the table.

Hope cried out a little at the impact and he staggered back, not attempting to convince the enraged hunts-woman anymore. He hunched over a little and hugged his stomach. Lightning sped next to him and put her blade to his curve of his neck, "Get out." He opened his mouth but she pushed him back towards the door, "Leave!"

She flipped her blade over, revealing a gun barrel. He hit the door in fright as she shot a bullet right next to his head and above his shoulder, the silver bullet embedded into the thick, hard wood. He rushed out of the room as fast as he could, leaving the door open in his wake. She continued to shoot the crystals near him as he passed them as a warning, the shards flying into the air and onto him because of her impeccable aim. He weaved left and right to avoid her onslaught until he finally skidded around the corner and barreled into a Cie'th.

"Hope!", Fang called out in surprise when Hope ran into her out of no where. She noticed he was frazzled and said, "You alright kid?" He wildly shook his head and scrambled back onto his feet, "I have to go! She'll kill me!" "Wait, no Hope! She-", Fang began but Hope had already ran past her. She swung to turn and clipped Hope's upper arm with her bulky lanced hand. He immediately grabbed his arm and looked up at Fang with small pupils, his flummoxed brain misreading the accident. "Wait Hope I didn't-", she started to reach out to help him, but that only made him jolt farther away. "LEAVE ME ALONE!", He screamed at her and began to run away once more. She screeched, "Wait!", and watched as he yelled at her with even more wild abandon, "STAY AWAY!" She watched as he ran in a crazy line and gasped when she noticed blood seeping through the fingers on his arm.

She hurried to Lightning's room and busted the doors open with a brandish of a burly limb. Lightning raised her gun up to Fang's face, right between the Cie'th eyes, and threatened between clenched teeth, "Get out Fang." "I will not!", Fang spat, raising her lanced hand at Lightning. "I will shoot you Fang.", she warned, her finger tightening on the trigger. Fang scoffed, "You mean like how you shot Hope?" Lightning glared visual bludgeons as she continued, "He's a good kid Light! Why would-", she side-looked to her left and saw Serah's crystal exposed and shining the room. "He found Serah.", she murmured, realizing what had happened. She turned back to Lightning, "I knew it." She raised her eyebrow, "What?"

Fang chuckled, "I went to give Hope food like you asked me. When I went to the door, I heard a disc playing. I had heard it before, it was one of Serah's. After a while, it got quiet and I went inside. Hope was asleep and the disc was on the floor. I don't think he played it Light."

Lightning lowered her blade, "He didn't." She exhaled and holstered her gun blade, "I wanted to make sure he didn't destroy Serah's room. I kept it the way Serah left it and I wanted to see what he would do. So I watched him using the jewel,", Lightning gave the table with the jewel on it a side glance, "And I saw it. I just couldn't bring myself to believe it."

"The disc floated up on its own and played by itself. Hope kept looking to his side and...smiling.", her voice broke for a second at the mention 'smiling', "Then he started dancing with someone but there was no one there. And the song played like Serah was singing with it... but I couldn't hear her.", Lightning's voice became open and vulnerable, almost like it was trying to hold itself back but needed to say it even though it hurt, "But he could, like she was there... I found him here and he had found her and started saying that she really was there..." Her eyes widened, "Where'd he go?"

Fang uneasily shifted back and forth, "Well..." "Tell me.", Lightning seemed to get dark and hard at a moment's notice. "He ran away.", she looked down like she was guilty and Lightning would punish her. Lightning shook her head and began to run past her, "Come with me Fang. We can't let him get hurt. Not again."

"After you princess.", Fang smirked. She hadn't seen Lightning get broken down so easily before, even to her, and she liked to think she was close to Light. And talk of Serah and smiling and the past? Without fatalities? Hope really was changing things.


	17. Chapter 17

Hope ran so crazily, so fast, he couldn't even tell where he was going. He couldn't even question where quiet straight. Everything just flew by in dim blurs, sounds were fast and distorted, even his thoughts were swirled into a swift spiral.

Where was he now? Was that a Cie'th he just passed by? What was that loud sound? Was that shots? Was Lightning shooting at him? Why couldn't she believe him? Was it so hard? He just knew he had to get out, and now.

There! He saw a window with a hole large enough for him to fit through swirl into view before him. He made a mad dash for it, nearly on all fours from tripping like crazy and his speed, the window was a holy savior at that moment. He squeezed carefully but quickly through it and found that he was above a crystal spike field. He saw crystals weaving in tides all over and even crashing up the wall next to him, like some sort of body of water froze while rampaging for the castle wall.

He took foothold on a spike, used it to get on the crystal wave, and then slid down the rest of the way. He nearly slipped into the deadly crystal knives as he scrambled to stop and get to his feet again, cleverly throwing his chains around a crystal and jolting himself to a stop. He attentively got up and rewound his chains to himself again.

He looked to his left. The crystal waves almost blotted out the sky and moon, towering over him like a frozen tsunami that still looked ready to strike. The crystals were too high and treacherous for him to try getting out that way. He looked to his right. He saw the window he had just come from and decided against going back, she could still be chasing him.

He took a step forward, felt his feet shift a little under the slippery, icy surface of the crystal, and carefully held himself in place. He looked at the ground, saw litters of fine crystal dust that would be more suitable for standing on a little ways ahead, and minded where he placed his feet as he went over to it. He listened around him, suddenly taking notice that it was awfully quiet, with no other sound than the crunch of the crystal sand under his feet. Normally there could be howls from beasts or Cie'th wandering around.

He examined the area again. The crystals surrounding him had broken spires, the chipped pieces littering the ground along with the dust. A strong, stagnant smell came from nearby, like something bloody was around the corner, different from the smell of his own blood that he had come to know well. There was a sinister tension in the air, he could feel it like the quickening pulse of his heart and wrist. One of the creeping feelings he had back when he first saw his dad leave came up to ruffle his neck hair again and this time he wouldn't ignore it.

He cautiously walked forward and around a few crystal spires, following the strength the smell of blood put on the roof of his mouth. He slipped a hand into his pocket and slowly took his boomerang out, raising it into the ready position with careful thought. He caught a glimpse of a bloody corpse lying on the floor, making him suck in a frightened breath.

There was a low groan of the breath of a predator. Hope swallowed hard and blood pounded in his ears but he kept as quiet as possible. He observed the results of a battle, a pack of Gornorspids lying slain and gored; some with huge tears and what seemed to be bites taken out of them. He listened with strained ears as he heard a slight scratching of enormous claws on crystal close by and could feel the pressure of a large thing putting one of its four feet down.

Fear inched its way in, Hope beginning to lose control of his calm. The scene was getting hazy from the combination of eye warps, hearing things, slight muscle spasms, labored breathing, brain malfunctions, and down right animal instinct.

A flash of something blue over here!..No, that has to be a crystal-No wait!-Movement over there he felt it!..Was that a growl?... And then just frenzied silence as intelligent thoughts went dead from a fear overdose.

...

BADOM-CLIISSSH-BOM, BOM-RAWWWARGH!

Hope's pupils shrunk as he turned 180 degrees only to meet an enormous claw to the side of the head. He smashed into crystals, so hard that they shattered on impact. His back was impaled by sharp shards of the crystal, searing pain shooting electricity up and down his body. Heat radiated off the tense edges as sticky blood poured out of the deep wounds. He urgently pushed himself off of the crystal, screeching in sharp pain as the crystals tore out of his muscle tissue agonizingly slow and blood spurted out faster.

Drip, drip, drip.

He looked up, coming face to face with a Behemoth. He staggered back a little in fright. Behemoths were known to kill quick and they were impossibly strong and rather smart. The best hunters in town had to team up to take one down, and even then somebody may not come back unscathed, if at all.

The paws on the thing were around 2 and 1/2 feet wide and long, with lethal claws protruding out of them, itching to crack bone without hesitation. Its manes floated regally like flags in the air, its tail was barbed like a scorpion's with a huge scythe at the end of it, it had spiky cuffs on its legs and and forms of armor on its shoulders. The rough skin that looked impenetrable, a hatchet like horn the protruded from its nose, and it had muscle strength to spare. Its beady red eyes analyzed Hope with a ghastly stare, like Hope was a dinner that it was just dying to sink its teeth into. It roared a battle cry, showing off its enormous set of heinous teeth.

Hope swallowed hard and quickly cast a few synergy buffs over himself for extra protection. The thing charged head on towards him and he barely had time to dodge, skidding across the slick crystal surface and falling over a Gornorspid carcass.

Hope steadied himself in time to see the Behemoth charging towards him again, sticking its horn out like a knight's lance. He didn't have time to move, instead quickly hauling up the Gornorspid and using it as a shield. He held it unsteadily in front of him, wincing a little when he still felt a damp heat seeping through the mushy fur. He braced himself for the inevitable impact, closing his eyes and praying for the best.

Something rancid and watery struck the side of his face.

He shot his eyes open. The horn of the Behemoth was lodged an inch from his nose, stuck inside the corpse. He let go of his hold on the corpse and took the opportunity to run away. He felt the side of his face with his Cie'th hand and looked at it, only to be disgusted to find Gornorspid blood staining the jagged surface. He looked over his shoulder, only to watch in horror as the Behemoth flung the Gornorspid into the air and off its horn, perhaps about 15 feet off the ground, then the the carcass was impaled on a crystal spire, whatever blood and guts left rolling down the sides.

He thought quick on his feet, casting Water spells at the feet of the Behemoth as it ran. It slipped to the side a little, giving Hope a chance to cast Thundara to electrify the area around it. It roared as the electricity struck it, but it quickly recovered and began to charge again. Hope cast Blizzard spells at its feet to continue to slow it, but it would break through the ice as soon as it was put up.

He was about to come nose to nose with the Behemoth, its horn's target his heart. He cast a Blizarra as fast as he could, encasing the horn in a block of ice to prevent the sharp edge from cutting too deep into his flesh. The Behemoth roared as picked up speed, not allowing Hope a chance to get away. Hope braced himself a mere second before the ice encased horn was upper cut from underneath him.

Drops of blood splashed upwards along with Hope's rag doll body, his mind and gut dizzily floating in the air. He braced himself as he felt the force of being thrown upwards fade and the pressure of gravity fling him back down with extra, relentless momentum. He watched as the Behemoth backed out of the way, allowing its prey to hit the crystal so hard that a shattering noise echoed throughout the area.

The shattering wasn't just the crystal.

He screamed as a few of his bones cracked, internally puncturing him immediately on contact with the hard surface. A pain like getting thrown onto a bed of spikes ran in lightning fast waves up and down his body as the crystals in his back impaled even further in, his screams of anguish soon drowned out by the the sheer shock of it. He tried to move something, anything, to get up but each time the pain would sharpen and slice through with a vengeance, leaving him with inflicting convulsions.

The agony paralyzed him, he lay still in horror, staring blankly up at the sky. He heard the footsteps of the giant beast trampling towards him and only one thought came to mind.

He was going to die.

Water streamed from his eyes due to pain and woe. He didn't dare move. He silently begged and prayed in his mind, hoping something would hear and have the mercy to save him. He watched as the muzzle of the Behemoth came into view, saliva dripping off its enormous, jagged teeth and falling on to the ground next to him.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

...

RAWRGH-SHHIIINNG!

A flash of flowing crimson billowed in front of Hope's eyes. Not the red of blood, but the red of a gallant savior's cape.

Hope barely blinked as he recognized the back of Lightning standing over him, her face turned away and her stance tense. He summoned what little hold he had left to turn his gaze over a little more.

Lightning held her gun blade in both hands and arched it above her face, in an intense gridlock with the ensnaring teeth of the Behemoth. The teeth clamped around the gun blade fiercely, trying to chomp down or throw it aside and sink into the flesh before it. However, Lightning's grip was just as powerful, she was barely shaking from the intensity, her muscles having more strength than they appeared to have (and they appeared to have a lot, mind you). The two opposing forces tried to push the other back, one swaying down for one second only to push the other back the next in ferocious stalemate.

Lightning didn't look back, locked in a determined glare with the red-eyed beast, but she yelled, "Fang! Move Hope out of here!" She got down on one knee, beginning to lose the struggle and her voice was strained, "NOW!" "On it!", Hope heard from the other side of him, only to feel himself being dragged aside by his chains and away from Lightning.

Soon Fang came into view, leaning over and examining him. "What do you get yourself into kid?", she sighed in exasperation as she saw his devastated state. He could only groan in pain as an answer. She carefully tilted him on his side a little bit, Hope audibly inhaling along with the ache from the simple task. He was able to see Lightning as she did though, and watched dumbfounded as Lightning struck blow after successful blow with an extremely precise and swift combination of destructive and forceful magical, arsenal, and physical attacks.

She would be casting a devastating Thundara spell from the side one second, then flipping over the thing with prompt yet prepared strength and grace all while changing her blade to a gun and annihilating the Behemoth's back with bullets, to making a perfect landing, immediately back flipping to evade a swipe, taking the opportunity to land a straight on shot to the shoulder, then finally flipping her blade over and slashing the face in a moment of weakness, all in the span of a minute.

That's why her name's Lightning.

It was more perfect than he originally thought. As soon as he finished thinking that, Hope's back was disturbed by something that had yanked at the stuck crystals in his unsettled tissue and his nerves whipped him into screeching; as if the universe had conspired to give him pain for that. Lightning looked back, temporarily losing her rhythm and barely missing a lethal swing of the Behemoth's razor tail. Hope sucked in a breath and shut his eyes tight in agony as he forced his unwilling hand up and cast synergy over her just in time to help her deflect the blow. Even though he didn't see it, she almost fell out of step again, surprised to see protective barriers surrounding her and side glancing at the wincing Hope.

Fang yelled to her, "Oii! Hope's got some pretty deep wounds over here! I think he'll need medical attention now Light!" Hearing this, she unleashed a massive lightning storm over the Behemoth, stunning it still for the moment. She ran over to Fang's side and examined Hope quick. She glared at the many crystals that protruded out of hi back like knives in a murdered corpse and the blood that was beginning to pool at Fang's feet. "Start pulling the crystals out. I'll make this quick.", was the speedy directions she gave as she headed back to the Behemoth, who was beginning to get antsy.

Before it could regain full mobility, she cast another eradicating Thunder based spell, blackening even the crystal floor directly underneath the Behemoth a bit. Sparks flew off the shocked Behemoth as it was paralyzed still. She unleashed a brand of offensive magic Hope had yet to use, throwing out a silver ball of energy that left a comet tail in its wake. The ball descended on the Behemoth's flank, bursting like a grenade on impact and clouding the area around it with a shimmering, crystalline powder. She sliced through the cloud, not faltering for one second as she found her way to the chest of the beast.

RAAAAAAAAWRRRGHHHH!

...

The dust cleared, showing Lightning standing before the Behemoth, her blade's tip stabbed right through the heart of the beast. She slid the blade out and jumped back in one fluid motion, getting out of the way as the Behemoth fell to the ground with a thunderous slam. She folded her blade and sheathed it in a flourish, all while observing the dead body. She paused for a second and, seeing no vital signs and blood cascading to the floor, turned and tromped indifferently back to Fang and Hope.

Hope was going in and out of consciousness, getting rapidly drained by the aches and loss of blood. Lightning watched as Fang pulled out one of the crystals agonizingly slow, Hope wracking at the torment and putting all his effort into keeping his cries low. She noticed Fang had only pulled out a few and pushed her aside, "Let me handle this." Fang exhaled and raised her arms into the air, watching as she carefully examined Hope's back for a little bit.

Without any warning, she savagely ripped a crystal out in three seconds flat then pressed her hand into the open wound before too much blood spilled out. The blue light of a Cure spell emanated from her hand and she helped guide the despairing gash back together, running her fingers along the wound's edges tenderly. It was a steady but urgent action, and she was able to close the flesh with minimal damage remaining.

She continued this process, all while keeping her facial expression blank and analytical like a surgeon. He would whimper at first but when her tender hand caressed his raw flesh and her soothing spell would kick in, it was like he had never been injured and was able to quiet again. Before long, all of the crystals had been removed and were in a blood soaked pile next to her.

She felt along his back, searching for any other areas that might need attention. He shivered a little at the warm touch of her hand against his bloodless skin and possibly some other feeling that wasn't pressing compared to the pain, but Lightning continued to search for problems unfazed. At one point, she found a few broken bones and carefully stitched them back together, directing a Cure spell to lead the cracks into cementing together again. When she had finished examining his back, she attentively turned him over, keeping his head a loft for him with one hand and uncaringly allowing him to see her as she continued to heal him.

"Where does it hurt?", she asked without looking up at his face. He raised a shaky hand to point to his ribs, although it was hard to tell if he didn't mean somewhere else by how badly he was trembling. Lightning noticed how shaken up he was by such a simple act and chided in an almost concerned and soft voice, "Easy. I'll handle it." She located a few shattered ribs and mended those as well, flicking her eyes up to see his suffering expression for a split second occasionally. The last time she noticed he had fallen completely out of consciousness and his expression fell into one of disturbed sleep. Deciding she had done all she could, she motioned for Fang to come and take him from her.

Fang took him in her arms, cradling him like a delicate vase. He remained limp, exhausted from the battle. Lightning flicked her head towards the castle again, "Let's take him to his room.", then tromped forward quickly, expecting Fang would somehow manage to keep up.

Once they had arrived back into Hope's room, Fang delicately placed Hope into bed while Lightning sat down in one of the love seats, unhooking her holster and watching Fang intently. She dropped her gun blade to the floor, reached into her satchel on her leg, and pulled out some gauze. She flicked her head from Fang to the door, Fang getting the hint and leaving quickly.

Lightning remained pensive and aware as she carefully wrapped up his wounds, providing extra support so that he would heal even faster. She saw the blanket curled back and instinctively pulled it up to cover the boy. She found herself staring at his face, and; realizing what she was doing; quickly scowled at herself and exhaled sharply. She turned curtly away and snatched up her holster, snapping it back in place. She made swift steps to exit the room when a murmur broke out into the room. She couldn't make it out and paused, staying quiet to hear it better.

"Mom..?"

Hope had murmured in his sleep, turning to face her subconsciously. She curtly replied, "Not by a long shot." She glared forward as he turned over again and mumbled nothing in particular. She continued her march onward, slipping out of the room as fast and silent as possible.


	18. Chapter 18

In Hope's old village, there was a place where people would go to gloat about their successes, drown their sorrows, pick up girls, and get drunk. Hope always avoided regular people much less the coots, jerks, and drunkards that spent their time wasting away and initiating bar fights in the tavern known as the Lindblum.

It's a good thing too, because if he had, he would have met some of Cocoon's vilest mercenaries. They would have immediately shot Hope to get that book if they were in Cid's place at the time. Two ruthless bounty hunters that would call anyone a target if they got in their way. And they had been summoned to meet tonight.

One of them was tanned, with persnickety, well groomed attire and not a dark blue hair out of place. He paced back and forth in front of a dimly lit booth impatiently, his hardened features giving off a sense of irritation as he glowered at the floor. "Raines should be here by now.", he said abruptly, flicking his scowling eyes at the blond haired woman in the booth who fixed her glasses on her nose as she cooly replied, "He will be."

"I apologize for my tardiness.", a cold, weaselly man bowed as he approached the two hunters. "It's about time Raines.", the man sneered. "It took me longer than expected to settle some altercations, Rosch.", Cid slid into the booth next to the woman and kissed her hand, "Pleasure to see you again Miss Nabaat." "It won't be mutual until we get down to business Raines.", she retorted with a chilly tone and briskly took her hand back. "Yes, why don't we?", Raines' eyes glinted at her harsh reception. He kept eye contact with the two hunters as he pulled out Hope's book.

"A storybook? Are you chasing after mad fantasies again Raines?", Rosch scoffed. "Considering how successful chasing after realities has made me, I would say yes.", Raines retorted, making a toneless emphasis.

Nabaat ran her hand down the cover, "Interesting...the rose seal on the cover dates back to pre-War of Transgression. It seems that someone tried to cover it by putting a star design over the top. Hiding something important would the most probable." Raines smirked, getting Nabaat's attention was a feat, "That is indeed the seal of the Cocoon royal family underneath. Look at this page."

Raines turned the fragile pages to the first page of the story with the two princesses. Nabaat and Rosch analyzed it quickly, Nabaat leaning back and adjusting her glasses, "Interesting..." Raines stated while tapping his index finger on the page, "Indeed. This no doubt addresses the Farron princesses." Rosch snit, "I thought they were killed off by Pulse forces."

Nabaat's eyes narrowed, "The fal'Cie Anima is a Pulse fal'Cie. They tried to have their l'Cie go out and kill the royal family. Their l'Cie ultimately failed and Anima went out to take care of business itself." Raines informed, "I read into it. Perhaps Pulse was preparing another attack on our country to finish the job, and Anima decided to take it upon itself to take the princesses down to stop it." Rosch added with a scowl, "Certainly this talk of 'love' and frivolous affairs is all nonsense. This must be a coded conspiracy message." "Not only that, but if the royal family can utilize the fal'Cie prowess then they might be able to disrupt our peace again. Without them, we were able to rebuild. Lady Lightning was indeed an 'iron-fisted' ruler.", Nabaat spat at the name of the princess.

"I've been able to locate the castle with the information I've collected. I sent scouts to scour the area, but they never returned.", Raines' tone was malicious and dark. "Perhaps we should take matters of protecting our country into our own hands.", Rosch replied, "That is why you called us, I assume." "Correct. I myself was able to observe some of the activity, and there is something suspicious going on.", Raines leaned in to whisper, "The princess has branded her own l'Cie."

Nabaat scowled, "L'Cie are monsters who endanger everything, especially our country. If she has an uprising with one, then a war will surely break out. We can't allow the royal family to bring Cocoon into anarchy again." Raines smugly smiled, "The l'Cie is new though. He has a magic ability unlike I've ever seen, however he is young, foolish, and weak." "And you wanted us because we've hunted the likes of those creatures before.", Nabaat smiled wickedly. "He'll surely be an easy kill.", Rosch smirked, "I'll bring out my best. We'll take them down." Raines pulled something out of his pocket, "Here is your target. Have fun." He placed down a picture on the table and got up. Rosch went to pick it up when Nabaat swiped a horse whip out of no where and snapped his hand back. She pulled the picture to her with the whip's tip and looked at it.

"This isn't about the treasure is it, Raines?", she called out to him without looking up from the picture. Raines stopped and turned, "For me, it's about our country first." Nabaat and Raines entered a heated glare for a few seconds until she got up and stopped just as she passed him, "Do be careful." She took her glasses off and said, "I'll rid the world of the beast."

A contemptuous lip curl appeared as she stared down at the picture of a young silver-haired and green-eyed boy, "For every task, there's a perfect tool."


	19. Chapter 19

Hope's eyelids were heavy, so much so that it hurt to open them and he fell asleep again because of it 5 times already. He finally shoved them open, tired of sleeping. He raised his stiff arm up to his face, rubbing his eyes with his normal hand. He pushed against the bed with his other arm, trembling with the force it took to sit himself up, the aches that lingered from his injuries, and an extended period of rest.

"Look who's up.", Fang said from the other side of the room, where she had been apparently doing something, "Morning Sleeping Beauty." Hope rubbed his forehead and groaned, "Errrrgh... how long was I out?" She raised her shoulders, "You think I know?" He looked out the window and saw the usual dark blue sky lit by the moon. It never gets sunny here so there was really no way to tell, as he soon realized disappointedly. "But it seemed to be a while. Lightning was getting impatient.", she said, coming to the bedside.

"I should probably go apologize then.", he said, shifting out of the covers and swinging his feet over the edge of the bed. Fang's eyes narrowed and she had a ghost of a smirk, "Why do you want to go do that?" Her look confused him but he answered, "Well, it could be against her will if I don't I guess. And I don't want to make her mad again. I should really apologize for being such a hindrance, and being nosy, and getting hurt, and having to have her come save me, and-" Fang stopped him from continuing what was going to be a long list, "I'd be careful, she was spitting mad." He sighed wryly, "Great... she'll probably shoot me this time."

She ruffled his hair, "I'll stand by the doorway to jump in if it gets bad if you want." He looked up at her, eyes twinkling, "Really? Could you?" She nodded, "Sure thing kid. Woah there, careful.", he had tried to hop off the bed to his feet but he stumbled and she caught him, "You lost a lot of blood and your bones and muscles are still mending. Take it easy alright?" He nodded, looking up at her with a determined face, "I'll try."

Fang kept a hold of Hope's chains to make sure he stayed upright and didn't trip again. Hope kept his gaze forward, reading determination and conviction. He was going to apologize to her whether she accepted it or not. He was going to say that he was ready and would try his best to keep up with her. He appreciated that she helped him and he was going to express that. He was planning to tell her what he thought, maybe she'd think something of him for once.

He took a deep breath as he stopped right in front of her door. He nodded to Fang, who had hid in a dark corner, nodding back. He put a fist on the door and rapped at it, maybe a bit too loud and confidently. He stood a little taller, trying to present himself better. He kept a steady gaze slightly up, right where Lightning's eyes were going to appear.

Then he heard the door creaking open.

His heart raced and he stood even straighter, looking more stiff, nervous, and unsure than better and presentable. What if she didn't accept his apology? What if she hit him again? What if she crystallized his hand more? What if she slammed the door in his face? What if he wasn't welcome? What if she shoots him? Why did he knock without thinking this through?

But it was too late, the striking blue eyes of Lightning appeared along with her face as she opened the door. He swallowed hard, keeping his eyes locked on hers. "You're awake.", she said calmly, then flicked her tone to normal with her head, "It's about time."

Okay now he'd say it. Just say it. He opened his mouth but nothing came out. Come on, just say it. Take a deep breath and say it. Lightning raised her eyebrow at him, as he stood in front of her, mouth open dumbly and stuck breathless. He blinked. Hurry up before she leaves. He swallowed hard and exhaled. Now. Say it.

He breathed in and kept his eyes on her, "I'm sorry."

She scoffed, his drawn out speech dissatisfying, "Apologies are a sign of weakness." He was irked but said calmly, "I'll try harder not to get hurt again." She snit with a cynical glare, "You're a liability. I won't baby you anymore." He let his agitation show, "You don't have to! I can fight! I can prove it to you!" She scowled at him, his attitude something she would not tolerate, "You've got a lot to learn before that happens." "You mean training?", he made a fist, "I'll do whatever it takes in that case." She stared down at him intently as he stated confidently and smoothly, "I'll try to be as strong as you."

He stared her down, matching the cold look in her eyes with the fire in his, "I'll prove I can be worth your time."

She simply replied with an indiscreet flick of the hand, "You're just wasting your time." He glared at her defiantly, "I am not!" "You're soft kid. Too weak and inexperienced.", she huffed, turning away. "Then give me the chance to get stronger.", he continued to be obstinate, locking in an intense glare off with her. "You're just getting in the way.", she began to close the door.

He grabbed the door and held it open, "I get in everyone's way! I get that!"

She paused intently, perhaps out of cynical curiosity and rancor, as he continued, "But if I'm going to stop doing that, I need to become stronger like you." His tongue was sharp but defeated, "There's nothing else I can do."

Lightning sighed, her pique leaking out like air from a balloon, and looked away, a bit ruffled and weary, "Fine." He pushed the door wider, with a little more enthusiasm blossoming, "So you'll help me?" She scoffed at his too-heartened reply with her blatant retort, "Why would I do that?" "Well... you need me too right?", all of the sudden, he was shaky, uncertain, and afraid. She said nothing at first and he pleaded for her help with his innocent eyes.

"If you want to get stronger, do it on your own.", she hissed, finally down with him, and slammed the door in his face, like she threw him out with her childhood toys.

He tried to open it again but couldn't, his eyes widening at her strident response, "Wait! You can't do that! You have to help me!" "Help yourself!", she screamed back, having half a mind to open it and smack him away.

He snarled at the door, like it was her and her strung on sentences and discordant slam. He banged his fist at it in anger, "I will! You'll see! I'll fulfill my promise to Fang! Then you'll see!", he screamed, throwing his fists down to his sides in a fit. He kicked the door once with a frustrated shriek and then stormed off, smoking with heated fury like a firestorm.

Fang followed after him, running to keep up, "What did you mean by that?" "By what? Proving it to her? I will!", he turned and glared at her with the same ferocity, "Are you doubting me too?" She shook her head and was irritated herself by his behavior, "That's not what I meant!" He turned and kept walking, all while analyzing the floor with a drained and cross glower, "Then what did you mean?" "That's what I'm asking you!", she turned him around and he looked at her with the still a slight pout, "What did you mean by proving it to her with our promise?" He put on his determined face, "I'm going to fulfill my promise to you. I'm going to go help Vanille. And when I succeed, Lightning will have to accept me.", he concluded, eyes narrowing in emphasis.

She sighed and slightly swayed, "I dunno Hope..." He took both her hands, "Please! You're the only person who can help me!" She stared at him for a second in thought. She paused to examine his lost and begging expression with heartfelt pondering.

She was broken down by his trust in her, saying, "Okay. Let's go save Vanille." He nodded triumphantly, "Take me to her." She murmured, keeping her voice low and grave, "I'm putting a lot of faith in you kid."

"Me too.", he whispered back with a similar tone, to help convince himself. Come to think of it, his faith was a rather fine line to walk on. Whether he liked or hated someone, whether or not he trusted his own ability, whether or not he'd survive, or even whether or not he had any hope was a shaky tight rope walk.

Lightning had disrupted this fine line, shaking it and making it jagged like her name. Why did she string him along, only to drive the stake in further? What is going on in her head? Was it some sort of sadistic game? Why was he never good enough? Why did he lose out when she did something? Did she enjoy hurting him like this?

Why does he even care what she thinks?

Because everything depends on it, he convinced himself. Everything depended on how well he would walk on his faith. But it's hard to know how he could walk on it when Lightning kept interfering with it.

He looked to Fang, who hadn't noticed him look at her. At least he had her to help him when he tripped. And now, the favor was going to be returned.


	20. Chapter 20

"Here we are.", Fang announced, pointing down a familiar stairwell. "Why are we back here?", Hope cautiously took a step back and watched for her reaction. "Don't worry kid, we aren't chaining you up here anymore.", she flicked her eyes down the stairs to point, "Come on now, you know the way." He kept his eyes on her for a second then looked down the dark stairs and began his descent into the dungeon.

At the bottom of the stairs, he saw his old cell, still as strong as ever and the way he left it, and ignored it. He looked down the dark hall then turned back to Fang, "Where is she?" "Down the hall a bit.", she pointed a claw in the same direction he had been looking, "Come on."

Fang lead the way, Hope staying close behind. He watched the cells that passed, slightly surprised to see Cie'th locked up. Some were rowdy; trying to smash down the brick walls and wailing continuously; others quiet and sitting like crystal statues in the corner. He blinked as he recognized the giant Cie'th his father had fought laying on the ground in one, like it was sleeping or daydreaming. He walked a little faster, not wanting to upset it somehow. What? It was big!

As he took a few quicker steps forward, a boisterous clinking could be heard. A minute later, it abruptly stopped and he felt a pull. He looked back to see his chains pulled through the bars of a cell and yelped as something tugged on them, wrenching him back. He roughly collided with the iron bars as something held his chains taut, pinning his back into the bars. The thing slid a crystal 'hand' through the bars and placed it over Hope's mouth while whispering, "Hey son."

Hope tried to say something but the hand muffled it and the thing said, "Shh..quiet. Now listen here, I've got a son who became a Cie'th Stone and you're the new l'Cie right?" He nodded slowly, his head brushing against the bars. "Since I'm stuck in here and... not a l'Cie, could you free my son for me? Please?"

"Oi! Don't try it old man!", Fang yelled as she thrust her lanced hand through the bars and poked the thing back. It let go of Hope's mouth and staggered back a little, giving Hope some leeway to push off the bars. Fang pulled him to her side protectively.

"Nice to see you again Fang. How's life on the outside?", the thing, which Hope now saw was a dark green Cie'th, asked casually. "Don't know what it's like on the outside but it's hell as always inside.", she retorted, obviously irked by the Cie'th. "What's wrong? Soldier princess got you down?", it chortled. "What's wrong is that you're bothering our l'Cie.", she addressed Hope with a flick of the head, "Leave him alone. He's busy." "Busy trying to save Vanille? We're the very same you know Fang.", it snorted under its breath.

"Except for the fact I don't upset Lightning and get locked up.", she pointed out. "And I don't murder innocent people.", it countered.

Hope looked up at Fang, eyes flaring from the comment and her reaction, as she snarled, "I'm still not the one imprisoned Sazh."

She began to pull Hope along, "Come on, let's leave the viper to himself." "Wait a second there!", the Cie'th called Sazh shouted. Hope looked back but Fang pulled him along, "No Hope. He's crazy, that's why Lightning locked him up." "But what about my son!", Sazh yelled after them. Hope stiffened, thinking about his own relationship with his father.

He burst away from Fang and ran back to Sazh, asking him urgently, "What about him?" Sazh was surprised and his tone showed it, "Oh, well... my son is a Cie'th Stone too. His name is Dajh and he's 6..." "That's enough.", Fang grabbed Hope again. He shook her off, "What are you so worried about?" Her invisible eyebrows furrowed and she stayed silent like a child who just got yelled at.

Hope took the opportunity to slip back to Sazh, "Is he with Vanille?" "I would say so.", he figured. "Okay... I'll try and help him too.", Hope slightly nodded affirmatively. "Really? What a nice kid.", Sazh chortled.

Fang glared at Sazh but as soon as Hope turned to her she hid her irritation. He said with emphasis, "We're going to help Dajh and Vanille. Alright?" She sighed in defeat, "Alright. I'll go you." He smirked in triumph, "Right then.", then started off down the hall again.

Fang shot Sazh a look when Hope was far enough away and whispered under her breath, "Watch your tongue." Sazh was about to say something when she cut him off, "No. No talk of anything about the past." Sazh threw his arms up in the air, "It's not like a child should know. Speaking of which, why him? Why involve just a kid?" Fang looked to make sure Hope hadn't noticed yet, "He means something to her. I'm not sure what so don't ask me." Sazh glowered and talked directly to Fang, "Kids shouldn't be involved in things like this."

Fang was about to hiss something at him when Hope said, "Are you coming?" She turned to see him shooting her a look with a quirk of an eyebrow. "Coming.", she called back then whispered to Sazh, "We'll talk later." Sazh exhaled and raised his hand along with it, "Fine. I'll be here."

"Not much further now.", Fang said casually, hurriedly walking in front of Hope again. He watched her carefully as she did, "Right."

There was an awkward silence until Hope broke it, "What was that about?" "What? Sazh?", Fang feigned indifference well. "His name's Sazh huh? Got it.", he said, "Which means you know him." She chuckled, "Yeah, we've crossed paths." His eye glinted, "I see." She said nothing more. He took note of that.

"All the Cie'th Stones are in here.", Fang opened a door to reveal a dank cellar. Hope looked on the scene and sucked in a breath. The room was huge, probably expanding under a quarter of the immense castle. And every other foot of ground had a Cie'th Stone levitating off the ground. There had to be around 50 of them at least.

They were a myriad of colors and had a definite Cie'th feel to them, with a dark almost-obsidian surface and regretful air around them. However, unlike the Cie'th, they all had a similar format to them: A stone goddess coiled around the floating crystal and a glowing arch crowning the top of it.

"So these are Cie'th Stones...", Hope thought aloud as he entered. "Mhm.", Fang replied, walking into the hall with him, "At one point in a Cie'th's lifetime, if they aren't destroyed first, they give up wandering aimlessly and let their woes overtake them. They collapse into a fossil, the soul of the l'Cie eternally trapped in the hellish crystal shell of regret. Damned until a l'Cie comes to finish their Focus as a surrogate of sorts. When it's completed, the soul can finally rest in peace."

Hope fidgeted uneasily at the unsettling disclosure. Fang looked on the grim scene, her eyes focused on something miles away, trying to tune out the silently screeching despair in the room.

"How do I become the surrogate?", he asked gravely, sharing in the woe in the air and determined to do something to stop the sickening effect it had on everything in it. "I'll show you.", she took his hand and led him through the room.

He watched in fright as the stones turned to watch him as he passed, sensing he was a l'Cie and keeping their eyeless, yearning gaze on him. He could almost feel the phantoms, their humanoid figures barely discernible with a phasing aura of deep sorrow. The almost psychic way he knew they were there was similar to the persona of his magical energy, albeit less lively and vibrant and more hopeless and drained. The evanescent ghosts just stared, watching him like paintings on a wall, but were attracted to him like mosquitos to a light.

He ringed his hand around Fang's more, silently telling her he was creeped out. She answered back, "It's alright Hope. They aren't going to hurt you, they're just stuck and sad, and the idea of a l'Cie freeing them is like seeing the light at the end of a very long tunnel. They just want help." He still coiled his hand around hers but he watched the passing Cie'th Stones intently. He saw she was right, but it didn't make the scene any less disturbing.

"Here she is.", Fang stopped in front of a Cie'th Stone. He looked it up and down. It looked like all the others, but it had a red tinge to it. "This is Vanille?", he reached out to touch the surface. She caught his hand before his skin met stone and he looked back at her as she said, "There's something you should now first." He stared at her face as she explained, "Touching the Cie'th Stone will get you in contact with the soul. They'll tell you their story and ask if you wish to be tasked with their Focus. You can only handle taking on one at a time, but you can refuse if you wish. It's all up to you."

He turned around, "All up to me huh?" she shrugged and put her hands on her hips, "No pressure." He let out a wry chuckle. He raised his hand up, hesitantly levitating it above the stone surface. He was about to press his hand to it when she interrupted, "One more thing."

"Vanille may tell you some things about our past.", she started uncertainly, "But no matter what she says, remember that it's different now. And that I would do anything for her." His eyes narrowed at the statement. The slightest bit of doubt clouded his judgement of her again. But he said nothing, pressing his hand into the Cie'th Stone's surface. A bright shine came from the spot under his palm and the stone bobbed happily in the air, vocalizing a chiming greeting.

The next thing he knew, he was being sucked away in a magical force.


	21. Chapter 21

Hope blinked awake, although he didn't remember ever falling asleep. The last thing he did was... touch the Cie'th Stone. He looked around. The area was all black, somehow barely lit by an inkling of faded light that had no source or origin. He was standing straight up so there was a floor, his hand still out in the same position from when he touched the stone. A shot of cold ran through his veins, and he instinctively pulled his arms close to his chest.

There was a low moan like sound echoing in the dark, sort of like the close breathing of a Cie'th. Hope shivered in shoes a little bit, the eerie atmosphere not only chilling to the bone but to the soul. It was a strange sensation, like he was a claustrophobic in a small space but still floating in black hole without oxygen. He took a step forward to make sure the floor wouldn't fall out from underneath him, finding invisible foothold. But the step tugged a knot in his stomach, like he just learned his dog had died. Regret and despair itself had embedded itself in the space and was managing its way into him.

He remembered his voice, using it to slice through the thick air, "Hello?" No answer. His voice was trembling like his small frame, "He-llo?" The moan kept on in the same rhythm, not signifying an answer. He got louder and a little more frightened, "Hello? Vanille?"

A step echoed out before him. He blinked, seeing a foot struggle to emerge from a dark, foggy wall he hadn't noticed before. "Vanille?", he called out again as the feminine foot kept kicking out. He watched as a hand reached out for his, strained from the wall's force and begging for help. He swallowed hard at the creepy scene, took the hand in his, and pulled.

The wall had a surprising amount of suction, trying to pull back whoever went against it like quicksand. He pulled harder, and a faint dark pink light emanated from his wrist. The black hold loosened and he watched as a girl broke through, taking her first breath in what seemed to be a long while by the sound of it.

The pressure of the wall weakened and the girl tumbled out from the strength of Hope's pull, falling on top of him. He shook his head to put his brain back into place, the black floor surprisingly hard. The girl on top of him let out a low groan of pain, her head at his chest. When he realized this, he quickly fumbled up, cheeks tinged with color. He helped her up, saying, "Are you alright?" "Yeah...", she shook her head a little bit, her red pigtails bouncing.

She straightened up slowly, giving Hope time to look her over. She had red hair in pigtails; which he noticed from her head shake; glistening, energetic green eyes, and Pulsian wear with lots of jewelry adornments and skimpy clothing; a bit girly and cute. She smiled at him and outstretched her hand warmly, "Hi. I'm Vanille. And you are?"

"Hope.", he wrapped his normal hand around hers in a shake. She tilted her head to the side playfully, "Hope is your name?" "Yeah.", he looked away a little, his name always had a connotation to it. "That's quite appropriate!", she giggled.

He pouted slightly and she put both her hands on his shoulders. He looked up just as she pulled him into a strong hug. "It's been so long since I've seen someone else.", she said as she coiled one arm around his back and the other around his neck to the top of his head, where she ran her hand through his silver locks. She breathed him in, feeling the warmth of having someone in her arms after being in the cold for such a long time. She felt his heart beating faster and looked down.

His face was bright red and he looked really embarrassed and uncomfortable. She realized she had him pressed up against her quite hard and a bit too close, her arms locking him in so he couldn't fidget. "Uhh...", he murmured hotly, not wanting to ruin her moment but getting antsy at the contact.

"Oh! Sorry!", she released him and he immediately pulled away, still red in the face. She chuckled at his embarrassed reaction as he stared down at the floor with flushed cheeks. Then she leaned down to lead his eyes back up, "So, you're the new l'Cie are ya?" He nodded slowly and silently followed her eye line. "Well nice to meet you.", she took his hand again. He stared at her wrist as her golden bangles tinkled like bells. She cocked her head to the side a little bit until she noticed she had grabbed his Cie'th hand.

"Oh!", she dropped it roughly, causing him to totter over a little, "I'm sorry!" He shook his head again but glared at his monstrous hand with an unwavering hatred. She lifted his chin delicately, "Listen, don't worry about that. I was there once. I'm still there since I'm here aren't I?" He kept his sight to the side, avoiding her caring green gaze as best (and stubbornly) as he could.

She huffed and wrapped her hand completely around his face, pinching his cheeks in between her index and thumb and forced him to stare straight at her, "Look. Look at me." He stared directly into her pupils as her tone changed from playful to serious at the drop of a pin, "Don't worry about that. You can face that later."

His nose scrunched up and he spat darkly, "Yeah, when I prove myself to Lightning." "Ah... so that's your Focus?", she raised an index finger up to her lip. "I told her I'd be able to help you. Then she'll finally accept me.", he affirmed, tightening his fist.

"Well... you're here. That's the first step. See? You're already getting somewhere!", she smiled and pumped her fists. His eyebrows furrowed at her sunny disposition. How could she be so happy when she's stuck here? Crazy girl... She seemed to notice he was looking at her funny because the next thing she stated was, "You see, for some reason, I wasn't able to meet with Fang or the other l'Cie. So the fact that you're able to is quite an accomplishment."

"You mean... you wanted to see Fang?", he asked, squinting his eyes as he processed that. "Are you kidding?", she shook his shoulders, the nerve of him to ever think such a thing, "I would do anything to see her again..." "Then... you didn't reject her?", he clarified, raising a hand to get her to stop.

"I would never, ever, reject Fang.", she glared fiercely at him for even considering that.

"Then why couldn't you meet with her?", he glared at the floor, trying to understand. "I dunno... that wall I just passed through wouldn't let me through for them.", she shrugged, head flicking back to address the mentioned blob of dark. "Huh.", he looked back at the foggy mass. "But that doesn't matter.", he looked back at her as she continued, "What matters is that you're here and you can complete my Focus and yours all in one swoop. Well... kind of...", she pouted cutely without trying. "Huh?", he examined her face as she did.

"Well... it would be counter-productive, considering my Focus is to eliminate her...", she rolled her tongue and kept her eyes on him, waiting for his reaction.

He frowned, staring away and at the floor. "Let me explain...", she started, looking down at him, "Fang must have told you about the past right?" He shook his head silently, his bangs hiding his eyes. "Oh... well... Fang and I were Pulse l'Cie. You knew that at least I'm sure." A nod. "And our Focus was to murder the Cocoon royal family." A negatory shake of the head. "She didn't say that?" Another shake of the head. "Oh... what did she tell you?"

"She told me that you had to kill Lightning. And that you had succeeded in taking the family down... does that mean..?", he trailed off, expecting her to fill in the blank.

"We killed their parents and Serah was cursed.", she stated sadly.

"That means..." "Yes. It's our fault that all of this happened."

"And if you hadn't killed them... Serah and Lightning wouldn't have been cursed... and I wouldn't have...", he glared up at her.

She went to put a hand on his shoulder, "I'm sor-" "No.", he slapped it away roughly and she started in surprise, "No. No...", he raised his Cie'th hand up to her and his eye spears pierced her inside and she cowered back slightly, "You listen this time. Are you happy about this?" "NO! No, I never wanted to-" "But you did. And Fang did...", he shook his head at the floor then blinked still in realization, "That's it. That's what I'll do."

"What?", Vanille raised a hand out to him. "I'm going to tell Lightning. Then she'll listen to me!", he concluded, backing away from her. "Wait! Hope!", she said as he announced with spite, "No. I refuse to complete your Focus. I have something else I can do now." "Don't-!", she started but he was already gone.


	22. Chapter 22

Hope's eyes opened, staring into the face of the spritely goddess on the Cie'th Stone before him. Despair swirled in it, but it was deeper and more desperate than before he had visited Vanille. He knew what that meant, but ignored it, mind set firmly on his new goal.

"How'd it go?", Fang asked eagerly, like a school girl. He shrugged, feigning simple indifference, "I got to meet with her, she told me about her Focus, and then I left." "So you got to see her?", she grinned excitedly at the good news. He slightly raised an eyebrow at her out of character reaction, "Yeah..." "That's great. Did she say anything about the past or me or...", she trailed off, little did she know he knew what she was insinuating. "Not really. Just about the Focus.", he started walking out, slightly silently shunning her.

"Ah okay. So you're going to do it? You can help her?", she followed after him like a dog to its owner. "Yeah, I'm going to try something.", he answered gravely, but she took the reply at face value due to her ecstasy and cluelessness.

"I'm going to see Lightning.", he informed shortly after his previous statement. "Well, if that'll help, then by all means.", Fang's tone was unassuming, but her eyes narrowed. This didn't go unnoticed by Hope.

There was a heavy silence as they walked, making the trip back to the wing with Lightning's room and Hope's room seem even longer than usual. Hope stopped in front of Lightning's door after what seemed to be hours and knocked. "You think you'll be alright?", Fang asked, although her concern was not only targeted on his well being. "Yeah.", he stated pseudo confidently.

The door creaked open at that. "What do you want?", Lightning's tone was as uncaring as ever. "I want to speak with you.", Hope's eyes flicked to Fang as he emphasized, "In private." She glanced at Fang, who seemed fazed, then rolled her pupils back to him, who was staring her down with conviction. "Fine. Come in.", she opened the door enough to let him through. He took a side glance at Fang, who seemed antsy all of the sudden, then walked in.

The room was as dark as ever, and Hope's eyes narrowed as they began to readjust. "Come sit.", Lightning's shadowed form commanded from in front of him. "Okay...", he stumbled forward, only to have his shin meet something hard. He winced and she rolled her eyes, getting up and snatching his hand roughly. He allowed himself to pulled along and plopped down into a seat, frowning at himself for his failure. He rubbed his eyes a little bit and she sat down across from him, her blue, berating eyes seeming to glow in the dark.

"Go on.", she ordered, tapping a finger on the table. "Right.", he sucked in a breath, "You're familiar with Fang right?" She made her arms erect and folded her fingers into a hammock for her chin. He played with his fingers under the table as he kept up her unwavering stare. "She's only been trapped in here for years yes.", she never faltered when an opportunity to burn him arose it seemed. "Right...", his eyebrow twitched and she knew it despite how dark it was, "Do you know about her past? What she did before she ended up here?" "She fully informed me prior to becoming my l'Cie.", she rested her cheek on her elevated knuckles in boredom with the boy's unsatisfying words.

Hope's aggravation at her reaction was evident in his voice, "You know what she did to your family and you still trust her?" "Both she and Vanille may be at fault for my sister crystallizing, but it wasn't all their fault. That blame goes to others.", Lightning finished with a spiked tongue and lowered her hands onto the table. "And what about your parents? Are you just going to let her get away with ruining that?", he abruptly stood up and slammed his hands into the table.

Her eyes betrayed a sense of shock and she almost stammered, "What do you mean by that?" "They murdered your parents!", he shouted at her and pointed accusingly at the door, "I thought you said she told you everything!" She opened her mouth to answer when the door was smashed open.

"HOPE!", Fang screeched so deathly Cie'th fell over in other parts of the castle. Hope just kept a strong glare at Fang as she trembled with rage. "How is this helping Vanille?", she hollered, rampaging forward.

"My first priority is my Mistress.", he stated confidently and balling his fists, "I wouldn't kill her." "You don't think we thought the same thing?", she kicked a chair aside and it collided with a wall only to snap into pieces. "I won't kill Lightning to save Vanille Fang.", he sneered, stepping closer to Lightning, who had been unmoving and observant in her seat.

"What about our promise? Was it all selfish?", Fang swung her arm in the air threateningly and it made a loud swoosh. "I did what I had to to survive.", he declared evenly but with a sharp tongue. "So all that we promised, all that we did, all that we said... it was all NOTHING?", the room vibrated with Fang's shriek.

"Stop.", Lightning declared, taking a stand and getting into a readied position with one of her fists balled and the other on the table's surface but tensed for a momentary shift. Fang heaved up and down slightly with rage and labored breathing and lows snarls. Hope just glared on critically, both of his hands tactfully at his sides but feet spread to dodge.

"Fang... leave.", Lightning ordered sternly, her eyes giving emphasis. Fang hissed at Hope, who stood still and reproached her with his dark pupils. "Now.", Lightning scorned, the hand on the table moving towards her holster. Fang flourished around and shambled towards the doors with a gnash of her teeth. She looked back at them once she was in the doorway and sneered, "Great job alienating one of the only people who cared about you. I'll see you rot in hell." With that said, Fang spat at the ground and slammed the door shut. Or relatively shut, as the hinge was slightly crooked from all the damage Fang's little tantrum gave it.

Hope continued to scowl at the door, "You're the one who brought us there Fang. If we're going down, we'll see you on the way." Lightning faced the young boy, surprised at the hatred that heated the air around him, crackled along with his words, and burnt in his eyes. Such a familiar, stone hard look came from the child in front of her and a chill painted down her spine. She didn't show it for long though, keeping her thoughts and feelings expertly hidden to him.

"Hope...", she started solemnly. "What?", his voice was still harsh but lighter than what he directed at Fang. "You don't have to be cruel.", she stated, turning all the way towards him. "Vanille and Fang wanted me to murder you.", his lip turned down at the names. "I can take care of myself.", she crossed her arms over her chest. "Isn't it my duty as your l'Cie?", he asked, glaring at the floor like it was his statement. "Just listen to me, especially when I say I can take care of myself.", she slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand. He pouted, backing away from her and her not-meant-to-be-but-was-strong slap a little bit.

"That's lesson one. Don't be unnecessarily cruel."

"What?", he looked up at her, surprised at her comment and losing his dark semblance. "You said you wanted me to teach you. Have you changed your mind?", she tensed her crossed arms and lifted her eyebrow slightly. "No! But you refused at first.", he looked her up and down, trying to figure out what made her change her mind. "So? I'm allowed to change my mind, even if I won't allow you to.", she scoffed, one hand falling to her side the other going to her hip. "Right...", he murmured, starting to get used to the fact that Lightning's replies were often straightforward and biting.

"Lesson two is to never leave your comrades behind.", she stated softly, her voice not too severe for once. "Huh?", he stepped slightly closer to her, trying to look her in the eye. She looked away as he did and only gave him a swift side glance as she said, "Don't let Fang go. You cared for her once. There's no reason to change your relationship with her because of her past, a past you weren't a part of." He glared down at the floor, annoyed he had no suitable reply to her valid point.

"Excuse my interruption Mistress.", a croaky voice creaked along with the door's hinges. "What now Dysley?", she scowled as the ramshackle Cie'th entered the room. "Fang is rampaging in the dungeon. I believe she has gone over.", he cast a deprecating look down at Hope as he informed them. Hope inched back, sensing that he had encountered Dysley and his coarse treatment before. Lightning noticed Hope's withdrawal and stepped forward, causing Dysley to ease back, "I see." She turned to Hope and her eyes showed a sort of authority that was more of a wise teacher than a drill sergeant, "Hope, go to her." "Wh-", he started but she talked over him, "Now."

He bit his lower lip and began to trudge out. As he passed Dysley, he looked up and returned a hateful glare to the judgmental Cie'th. Once he had disappeared from sight, Dysley groaned, "Children." "Don't patronize the l'Cie.", she retaliated coarsely, making point to emphasize 'l'Cie'.

"I wonder how the child will react to Fang's craze.", he observed, tapping his claw on his chin with a smug curve of the lip. "Doesn't matter. He has to see it.", she began to tromp to the door and her regular emotionless and serious temper came out again. "You're going to stop her?", Dysley turned as she passed him to keep observance of her and her peculiar decision. "Maybe. I might not have to.", she didn't stop or turn around, continuing on without another word.


	23. Chapter 23

A door off its hinges in an ancient castle can say little. It is old and dilapidated, so it shouldn't be a surprise to see a door discarded on the floor right? Well... if it's a jail cell bar door and it has a hinge that you know from past experience was strong and still was the last time you passed it by... it's more frightening than anything else.

So it's a probable cause of Hope shaking in his boots. But there were plenty of other causes. For example, the excessive amount of crystal dust, the rapid movements in the shadows, the many ominous noises; which included paralyzing, dying Cie'th screams followed by silence; and the fact that he could hear Fang shrieking. He had never heard a more enraged sound in his life. Which was why he was scared for his life now, especially when he made out "HOPE!" and felt the rushed stomping of something charging towards him.

"Stay away!", he shouted, calling a flame to his fingertips. It brightened up the area in front of him, allowing him to see the grisly face of a Cie'th staring him down.

He staggered back in fright, about to unleash his ember when the Cie'th roughly snatched his hand and pulled him up off the ground by his wrist, the fire sputtering out along with Hope's yelp. He kicked out towards the Cie'th and flailed, but the Cie'th was immense and burly so it was like trying to break down a tree with bare hands.

"Let me go!", he squirreled furiously, hanging off the Cie'th's arm like it was a monkey bar. "Can't do that kid.", it said in a masculine voice that matched its muscular build, "We need to go stop Fang." "Where did you think I was going?", he snit, glaring at the Cie'th's face. "Oh... sorry kid!", the Cie'th lowered him to the ground and he snapped his arm back with a huff.

"You're the l'Cie right?", the Cie'th asked; whether it had a cracked skull, oblivious, or just not very bright was uncertain. "I'd think that this-", Hope flashed his branded wrist, "-and this-", he looked pissed as he held up his other hand with the mutation, "And the fact that I'm the only relatively human thing in here other than Lightning gave it away." "Right, right.", the Cie'th's nonexistent eyebrows furrowed at Hope's snide reply.

"And you-", Hope stopped as he analyzed the Cie'th next to him. His eyes slowly widened in realization and the Cie'th gave him a puzzled look. He backed away and stammered, "You-you're that Cie'th!" "The big strong one you just met?", it said in a gaudy tone and pose. "No, you're that one... I've got to go, leave me alone.", he hurried off, recognizing the large Cie'th and not wanting to cause trouble.

"Hey kid-" It started to speak when Lightning walked up behind him and stated, "Leave him. He's the type who delves into his emotions too much." It jumped and said, "Oh, hey Sis! Long time no see!" Her nose twitched in agitation, "I'm not your sister. Leave both of us alone at that." "Awww... what happened to those rules of yours?", it went to put its arm affectionately around her shoulder but she threw it off, retorting, "Don't let personal affairs cloud your judgement. Rule three." "Okay fine," it rolled its eyes.

"Make your move like I told you after he's made his move," she said, eyes scanning the corridor and stopping at Hope's back. "You really think that it'll have to come to that?", the Cie'th looked downcast, its tone lowering. "You know it will," she said as she walked forward gravely, hand placed on her gun blade's handle.

Hope placed his ear into the door to the Cie'th Stone hall, listening inside to hear deathly screeches and shattering. He flung the door open, seeing a sight he hadn't expected.

Fang was smashing Vanille's stone.

"What are you doing?" He shouted, rushing up to stop her. Fang turned and slammed him in the side in one swift movement, sending him falling down on to the floor, "Stay back!" She turned back to Vanille's beat up stone, which had gashes and cracks in it from Fang's assault, and continued to slam her monstrous hand into it. The stone thrashing in the air from the force of Fang's strong blows.

He lunged up and clung to her arm as she raised her arm high in the air to strike the stone again. "Stop it Fang!", he urged, clinging on for dear life and bracing himself as she inevitably raised him up off the ground by her arm. "Why? Just so you can betray us again? Just so we can stay in our regrets and woes forever? I'm so sick of that, and you took away my only hope!", she yelled, flinging her arm out to the side and causing him to fly off and crash into a wall.

He yelped slightly as tremors shook through him, landing to the ground with a thud. He struggled to get up, shaking slightly as he got on his knees, "Fang don't do that! Vanille can still be saved if you don't-" "Don't what? Let you live?", she turned and shot him the most hateful glare he had seen in his life. Cold rushed through his veins at the icy sight and he froze as she came charging for him, "Maybe if you did die, someone else could come and save us!"

He pleaded lamely, slowly backing into the wall on his hands and knees, "But... Fang.. what about everything..." "YOU DISREGARDED IT! YOU- YOU MONSTER!" She yelled back with so much force he squeaked and cowered back, raising his arms over his head. Fang's labored breathing and large shadow cast over him and her footsteps stopped a foot in front of him. He braced himself for the inevitable blow when she let out a blood curdling shriek, his blood freezing stagnant in his veins and left him paralyzed in a hunch.

"KEEEYAAAAAH!"

Hope's eardrums nearly popped and he let out a soft cry, plugging his ears and squeezing his face up. The scream suddenly quieted and he looked up.

The giant Cie'th stood over Fang, who was motionless on the floor. Hope scurried to her side past the other Cie'th like it wasn't there. He urgently called her name, but she made no movements. Her broken down Cie'th form lay like a cracked and nearly shattered glass sculpture. Hope's expression became that of a deer in the headlights, "Fang? Fang? Fang?" He snatched her 'hand' and and squeezed it, "Fang?"

He then noticed a definite crevice in her upper body where her head would normally be, a large crack leaving shards on the floor. "No!", he shouted, delicately reaching out to touch Fang's Cie'th 'eye'. The blood red eye was slowly fading, a testament to the dire situation. "Fang?", he yelled, eyes welling up and voice cracking. He placed his hand over the eye, just as it faded to black. "Fang?", he cried out with a choked and despaired voice.

Just then, the giant Cie'th hunched over and struck another blow to Fang's chest, the loud shattering noise twice as deafening to Hope's ears.

"What are you doing?", Hope pounced up and over Fang's body to the giant Cie'th, trying to tackle it but scratching himself on the sharp crystalline body instead. He jumped away immediately, all while shouting, "Are you trying to kill her?" The Cie'th went to open its mouth when a light shone from Fang, both of them turning their attention to her.

Fang's body was overcome by more lava like crystals that melted over her like a smooth rock. A goddess popped out from her empty eye socket and coiled itself around Fang's body. It shone bright then faded as the goddess painted an arc over the the top and then froze herself against the obsidian like surface, as if going to sleep.

When the light had faded completely, a Cie'th Stone lay on the ground. It was not yet levitating and its sheen was as dark as hell itself.

"NOO!", Hope shrieked like a dying Cie'th as he slumped onto his knees. His eyes glazed over, and his trembling almost had the water welling up in his tear ducts spilling out. "No!", he shouted softly, reaching out a quivering hand to touch the stone.

"Don't.", Lightning stepped in his way, blocking his view of the stone. He looked up, a tear overflowing from his welling eyes due to the movement. She watched the tear sluggishly make its way down the smooth surface of his cheek, then turned her attention to his pitiful green pupils. The lost look in his eyes was something she had seen before, a flash of powder blue and strawberry locks before her. She blinked and it was gone, Hope still heartbreakingly sniffling and staring up like a beggar child.

She sighed, raising a hand to her ear and curving some hair back behind it, "Come on. Let's leave her." Hope shook his head as he wiped his eyes on his gloved wrist, "No." Her eyebrows furrowed and she shot the giant Cie'th a look of annoyance. It's head flicked to Hope and it used arm movements, suggesting to talk nicer to the kid. She exhaled and looked back down at Hope, who was staring blankly at Fang's stone.

"Listen kid...", she began, Hope looking up, "Her stone's inactive at the moment. See how it hasn't lit up or levitated yet?", her head flicked at it and Hope had to agree, the stone was immobile and unlit.

"That means you can't do anything at the moment.", she shifted her weight to her other foot, "And crying over something you can do nothing about is a waste of time. Rule 4." Hope tilted his head to the side a little bit, "What was Rule 3?"

"Don't let personal affairs cloud your judgement.", she stated, grabbing Hope's arm. He allowed himself to be pulled up off the ground by her, eyes fixed unwaveringly on her face. She kept her gaze on her grip, studying it pensively like it had been over taken by some psychic power and was moving on its own. Once she realized he was up, she looked at his face and noticed him staring at her like he was almost in awe. She snit and threw his arm back to his side. She turned back to the door in the next fluid movement, her cape nearly lashing him in the face.

He blinked for a second, coming to the present and wondering when he started standing. He had paid so much attention to her angel face that it took him a second to realize she had grabbed his arm to pull him up. Not to help him up because of some other reason, just a casual helping hand. But... it felt like something else, something that he couldn't tack a name to. Could it have been..?

She called back at him, snapping him out of his pondering, "Get some rest tonight. We're going to start your training tomorrow." He nodded slowly, looking back at Fang's stone for a second, then the giant Cie'th, and finally hurrying after her, "Okay." He lightly raised his normal hand to where she had just grasped his other arm, making a perplexed face all the while.


End file.
